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THE BATH 


0557 
1 9 


TS 


Jse and Application, 



IML G-. KELLOGG, IML GO. 

A . 



PUBLISHED AT 


THE OFFICE OF THE HEALTH REFORMER, 


BATTLE CREEK, MIC II. 


1873. 







7?/r??// 

. K 33 


Entered, according to Act of Congress, in tue year 1S73, by 
THE HEALTH REFORM INSTITUTE, BATTLE CREEK, MICH., 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 


P E E F ACE. 


Iir presenting the following pages, the writer wishes it 
distinctively understood that he makes no claim to original 
discovery in treating the sick with water; hut he has en¬ 
deavored to give the reader a concise description of the va¬ 
rious modes of applying water in the treatment of disease. 
In doing this, he has not only been guided by his own ex¬ 
perience and observation, but has availed himself of the 
experience of the physicians of the Health Institute located 
at Battle Creek, Mich., whose views he found to be in perfect 
harmony w T ith his owm. He has also consulted the writings 
of the most successful practitioners of the water cure sys¬ 
tem, including Trail, Shew r , Johnson, Miller, Gully, Weiss, 
Jackson, and others, and has endeavored to describe to the 
reader the various methods of applying w r ater as a remedy 
for disease, which the experience of the most noted and re¬ 
liable practitioners seemed to approve as best calculated to 
meet the wants of the people. 

In connection with each form of bath described, mention 
is made of the various diseases to w r hich it is adapted; but 
as the limited size of this pamphlet w T ould not admit of a full 
description of the various symptoms of each disease, this 
branch of the subject has been left for consideration in a 
subsequent pamphlet especially devoted to it. 

The nature and cause of disease and the “action” of 
drugs has already been considered in a tract entitled, “ Dis¬ 
ease and Drugs.” (See advertisement in annexed catalogue.) 


M. G. K. 







CONTENTS 


GENERAL PRINCIPLES, 

HOT AND COLD APPLICATIONS, 

HEAT AND COLD TO THE SPINE, 
GENERAL RULES FOR BATHING, 
TEMPERATURE OF BATHS, 

BATHS FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN, 
THE SPONGE OR HAND-BATII, 

THE FULL-BATH, .... 
THE HALF-BATH, 

THE SHALLOW-BATH, 

THE HIP OR SITZ-BATII, 

THE FOOT-BATH, .... 
THE SHOWER-BATII, . 

THE SPRAY-BATH, .... 
DRIPPING-SHEET BATH, 

THE WET-SHEET RUB, 

THE DRY-SIIEET RUB, 

THE DOUCHE-BATII, 

THE CATARACT-DOUCHE, 

THE PAIL-DOUCHE, 

THE IIOSE-DOUCIIE, 

THE ASCENDING-DOUCHE, 

THE DROP-BATII, 

THE PLUNGE-BATH, 

THE WET-SHEET PACK, 


FACE. 

i 

13 

15 

17 

20 

21 

21 

23 

25 


25 

27 

30 

30 

32 

32 

34 

34 

35 

35 

36 

36 

37 
88 

38 


39 



VI 


CONTENTS. 

THE HALF-PACK, ..... 
THE LEG-PACK, . . 

THE CHEST-PACK, ..... 
THE CHEST-WRAPPER, 

THE WET-GIRDLE, . . . . . 

THE WET-COMPRESS, .... 
FOMENTATIONS, . 

THE HEAD-BATII, .... 
THE ARM-BATII, . 

THE LEG-BATH, .... 

THE EYE AND EAR-BATH, 

THE NASAL-BATH, .... 
THE ELECTRICAL-BATH, . 

REFRIGERATIONS, .... 
WATER DRINKING, . . . . 

WATER EMETICS, .... 
CLYSTERS, OR ENEMAS, . . . . 

THE HOT-AIR BATH, .... 
THE VAPOR-BATH, . . . . 

COOL-AIR BATH, .... 

THE SUN-BATII, . 

HAND-ItUBBING, .... 

MOVEMENTS, ...... 

GENERAL RULES FOR NURSING THE SICK, 


42 

43 
48 

44 

45 

47 

48 

50 

51 

52 

52 

53 

53 

54 

55 
5C> 

56 

57 

58 

59 
59 
CO 
Cl 
03 


The BATH: 

ITS USE AND APPLICATION. 


GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 

Inasmuch as disease cannot exist where there 
is no disturbance of the vital functions, and as 
there can be no disturbance of these without an 
unbalanced circulation of blood, it follows that 
whatever agent or agents will give us the 
most perfect control over the circulation, and en¬ 
able us to keep it equalized and well balanced, 
will be the most proper agent for us to employ 
in the treatment of disease. Medicines that oc¬ 
casion a change in the actions of any of the. or¬ 
gans of the body, or that produce what medical 
men term a medicinal effect, are poisons; and 
they, instead of restoring a proper balance of the 
circulation, only occasion a change of excessive 
vital action and circulation from one organ to an¬ 
other, usually leaving the system in just as unbal¬ 
anced and disturbed a condition as before the 
medicine was taken, and ofttimes in a much worse 
condition. If we examine the nature and cause 
of health, we shall find that it is highly import¬ 
ant that the right degree of temperature be con¬ 
stantly maintained in all parts of the system; 
otherwise, an equally balanced circulation cannot 
bo maintained. (See pamphlet entitled, “ Good 
Health,” article, “Temperature.”) 





8 


THE BATH. 


This being the case, it is evident that, if we 
can have perfect control of the temperature of 
the body, we can, in a measure at least, have 
control of the circulation also. Therefore, what¬ 
ever agent will give us the most perfect control 
over the temperature of the body and its various 
parts, will be the very best agent for us to em¬ 
ploy in the treatment of disease. 

There can be no question but that water, in 
its various modes of application, will give us a 
more nearly perfect control over the temperature 
of the body than anything else we can employ. 
In seeking to know when, and why, and how, to 
use water in the treatment of disease, we must 
never lose sight of the fact that whenever the 
body or any part of it is diseased, some part, 
at least, is clogged with impurities, or is congest¬ 
ed or swollen with the fluids of the body; and 
that the disease consists largely of an effort on 
the part of the organism to remove the obstruc¬ 
tion and its cause. If the obstruction consists 
of poisonous substances taken from without, or 
of retained excretions, those substances form an 
obstruction by becoming entangled or lodged 
in the tissues, where they either hinder, or en¬ 
tirely prevent, the usual life processes from being 
carried on. 

These poisonous matters are held in solution 
in the blood, and are divided into particles too 
minute for us to distinguish with our external 
senses, yet they are sufficiently large and solid 
to obstruct the nicely adjusted mechanism of the 
vital structures of our bodies. Now as these un¬ 
usable substances can reach the tissues only as 
they are circulated in the blood, being held in 
solution by it, it is evident that in many cases 


GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 


9 


the drinking of pure, soft water would result in 
great good, as the elimination of this water by 
the kidneys, the sweat glands, and other depu¬ 
rating organs would remove much of the poison¬ 
ous matter held in solution by the watery por¬ 
tion of the blood. Water, being the most perfect 
solvent of any known fluid, dissolves out, and 
washes away the impurities that have clogged 
the system, unless it is itself so saturated with 
similar materials that it can retain or dissolve 
no more. 

Water is not only useful when used as indi¬ 
cated above, but it is also useful when applied 
externally as a purifying agent. The skin con¬ 
tains an innumerable number of little orifices, 
called pores, through which more than one-half 
of the waste and effete matters of the body are 
passed off as the insensible perspiration. The 
mouths of these pores open upon the surface of 
the body, and deposit the matter thrown off 
through them upon the skin. If this waste mat¬ 
ter is not removed, it accumulates, dries, and soon 
chokes up these openings, thus causing a reten¬ 
tion of the effete matters within the system. A 
daily bath for three or four days for a person in 
this condition, if he is of ordinary strength, is a 
very effectual means of removing these deposits, 
thereby enabling the system to regain a condition 
of health by discharging the impurities through 
the pores of the skin. If the skin has not been 
properly attended to for a long time, the pores 
will not only be clogged, but the entire system 
will be very gross, being filled with the retained 
excretions, and a diseased action will be set up 
in some of the internal organs for the purpose of 
removing these waste matters which should have 


10 


THE BATH. 


been thrown off through the skin. In such a 
case it is apparent that the only treatment that 
can be given is that which will set the sweat 
glands at work, and thus relieve the internal 
organs from congestion. To accomplish these 
purposes, the prolonged warm or hot bath will 
be found the most effective treatment that can be 
given, for it softens and washes away all the im¬ 
purities from the surface of the body, and also 
softens the skin, and thereby enables the sweat 
glands to excrete more readily the insensible per¬ 
spiration with its contained impurities. By 
heating and moistening the surface, it will also 
draw a great amount of blood from the internal 
organs to the surface, thereby relieving them of 
congestion, and at the same time inducing a much 
greater action in the skin and its appendages, so 
that a greater amount of impurities shall be 
thrown off through the skin. If the patient’s 
system is very foul, it may be found necessary to 
repeat the bath daily for several days, or to apply 
a wet-sheet pack, or even a vapor-bath daily, or 
to alternate these for a few days, in order to suc¬ 
cessfully remove obstructions from the system. 
Prolonged baths should never be given daily to 
any but the strongest patients. 

Water may be so applied as to excite special 
action in almost any organ in the body, if proper 
attention is paid to the temperature and the 
mode of application. It may be used so as to 
produce vomiting, purging, sweating, diuresis, 
etc. It may be made a tonic, a stimulant, a sed¬ 
ative, or an alterative. In fine, by means of it 
we can accomplish nearly all the results aimed to 
be produced by medicines. 

Inflammation in some part of the body is an 


GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 


11 


accompaniment of most of the diseases to which 
the human family are liable, and this is more 
quickly and effectually allayed by water than by 
any other means; and as water enters so largely 
into the composition of the human frame, we 
have the assurance that, however much may 
be absorbed, no evil results will follow. The cool¬ 
ing property of water renders it of priceless value 
in the treatment of inflammations and fevers. 
The natural temperature of the body in health is 
98° Fahrenheit, and it cannot vary much from 
this without serious difficulties following. In fact, 
if the temperature of the whole body were to be 
raised or lowered nine degrees from the natural 
standard, death would be the inevitable result. 
In all fevers and inflammations there is an increase 
of temperature, and the danger depends upon the 
degree of heat that is present. If the heat is 
intense, the fluids of the body undergo rapid 
change; and unless some agent can be found that 
shall reduce the temperature of the part, death 
must speedily result. The treatment required in 
such cases is to reduce the temperature and equal¬ 
ize the circulation. 

If the temperature of the body is too high, it 
can be readily reduced by the application of wa¬ 
ter, which should be applied continuously if cool 
or tepid, or if warm or hot it should be applied 
alternately with cold, or for but a few minutes 
at a time. If the temperature is too low, it can 
be readily raised by the continuous application of 
warm or hot water, or of dry heat. Water, when 
used either externally or internally, is the very 
best agent known for cooling the system, for the 
reason that it requires more heat to give a sensi- 




12 


THE EATII. 


Lie warmth to a given amount of water than to 
an equal weight of any other common substance. 

A vast amount of heat is required to convert 
water into vapor rapidly; hence, when water 
evaporates from the surface of the body, no mat¬ 
ter at what temperature it has been applied, it 
serves as a constant cooler of the surface. It is 
this evaporation of water that makes it serve so 
beneficial a purpose when applied in the treat¬ 
ment of fevers and inflammations. The heat re¬ 
quired to convert the water into vapor in these 
cases is all obtained from the body; consequently, 
the temperature of the body must be lowered if 
water is allowed to evaporate from its surface. 
This being the case, it is easy to understand how 
fever and inflammation may be reduced by the fre¬ 
quent application of water of any degree of tem¬ 
perature. Internal fevers may be reduced by 
cool drinks. The cool fluid is absorbed and cir¬ 
culated with the blood, and the fever of the inter¬ 
nal organs is thus reduced, a certain amount of 
heat being used up in raising the temperature of 
the liquid taken to the same degree as the blood. 
The greater the variation of the temperature of 
the body from the common standard, the more con¬ 
stant and assiduous must be the application of 
water, both externally and internally. 

It is this cleansing, absorbing, dissolving, and 
cooling power of water, by means of which the 
effete matters are removed from the system, and 
its temperature and the circulation of its fluids 
regulated, that renders water so efficient an agent 
in the restoration and preservation of health. 

All systems of medicine recognize the fact that, 
in the treatment of disease, it is necessary to ac- 


1I0T AND COLD APPLICATIONS. 


13 


celerate the change of matter in order to renovate 
the tissues and invigorate the various organs. 
To do this, they bleed, purge, or mercurialize their 
patients down, and then give wine, tonics, and a 
“generous diet” to stimulate them up again as 
fast as possible, thus doing and undoing inter¬ 
changeably. Bathing, pure air, appropriate exer¬ 
cise, and plain, simple food, will effect a change 
of matter incomparably more rapid, and 'with¬ 
out the destruction of healthful materials, than 
can be accomplished by any other mode of treat¬ 
ment. 

HOT AND COLD APPLICATIONS. 

Heat and cold exert a powerful influence on 
the nervous organism, as v r ell as on the tempera¬ 
ture of the body and the circulation of the blood. 
Heat applied to any part of the body expands 
the vessels of thq part and increases the activity 
of the nerves. The blood vessels enlarge, and lose 
their contractile powers to a certain extent, and 
become more or less distended with blood. Cold 
applied to these vessels causes them to contract 
and force the blood out, leaving less than their 
usual supply. 

In congestion and inflammation the circulation 

O 

is obstructed by the capillaries becoming distended 
and surcharged with blood. The most successful 
means of overcoming these conditions is by the 
use of water. Water, when applied cold, will ab¬ 
sorb the heat and cause the capillaries to contract, 
thus forcing the blood out and so relieving the 
congested organ. If the water is applied very 
hot at first for a few minutes, and then quite cold 
for a short time, alternating thus for thirty to 
sixty minutes, the blood will be caused to cir- 







14 


TIIR BATII. 


culatc freely through the parts until the cause of 
the congestion is removed. This last method of 
applying water is very successful in removing 
congestions where they are not deep seated. But 
if the inflammation is deep seated, prolonged hot 
applications in the region of the inflamed part 
will be found the most efficacious, as they relieve 
the affected organ by relaxing the vessels of the 
surface and thus causing them to become dis¬ 
tended with blood, which is thus diverted from 
the previously inflamed or congested organ. 

When any part of the body lacks its due pro¬ 
portion of blood, which is frequently the case 
with the surface, and especially with the hands 
and feet, a sensation of coldness results. If we 
apply heat to these parts, the capillaries become 
distended, the blood flows more freely, and they 
become warm. The first effect of cold applica¬ 
tions to the surface is to force the blood in upon 
the internal organs, thereby inducing an increased 
action of the heart to force the blood back ag^aiii 
into the capillaries; and if the cold is not too in¬ 
tense, nor too long applied, the increased activity 
of the circulatory system makes the circulation 
freer, and the parts warmer than before the cold 
was applied. This effect is termed reaction, and 
it is brought about wholly by the nerve centers 
of organic life. When the cold is first applied, 
they recognize that there is danger of the system 
becoming too cold ; and they immediately set the 
tissues of the entire surface of the body at work 
in a rapid manner to warm up the part. This 
explains how it is that a strong and vigorous per¬ 
son can take a cool or cold bath and be warmer 
immediately after than before taking it, or than 
immediately after taking a tepid or warm bath. 


HEAT AND COLD TO THE SPINE. 


15 


It also explains why tepid or warm baths, and in 
some instances even hot baths, are better to alle¬ 
viate fevers than are very cold baths. It is be¬ 
cause the reaction is less after the tepid, warm, 
or hot bath than after the cool or cold bath. 

HEAT AND COLD TO THE SPINE. 

Dr. John Chapman, of London, has made some 
interesting discoveries in regard to the applica¬ 
tion of heat and cold to the spine. The following 
is a statement of his theory, as presented by Dr. 
Miller, of New York :— 

“ Heat or cold, applied over the spinal column, 
exerts an important influence upon different 
parts of the body. The effect upon the internal 
organs and remote parts of the body is directly 
opposite to that produced upon the capillaries in 
the region where the application is made. To 
illustrate : By applying heat to the feet, the flow 
of blood to them is increased, and they become 
warm; the same result is accomplished by ap¬ 
plying cold to the lower part of the spine. Cold 
is applied to the bleeding vessels to stop uterine 
hemorrhage; hot applications to the middle of 
the spine will have the same effect. Cool or 
cold compresses are applied to the chest for 
pleurisy or inflammation of the lungs; hot appli¬ 
cations to the spine, between the shoulders, will 
arrest these inflammatory processes much more 
speedily. 

“ A knowledge of these facts, and of the cor- 
rect methods of applying heat and cold to the 
different portions of the spinal region, and to 
other portions of the body, serves to make these 



16 


THE BATH. 


the most powerful agents we have for the control 
of disease, whether acute or chronic. 

“ There are thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves, 
one of each pair being given off on either side of 
the spinal column. Each nerve has two roots, 
a posterior or sensitive, and an anterior or motor, 
root. These two roots unite near the spinal cord, 
forming one nerve, which, after receiving two 
small fibers from a ganglion of the great sympa¬ 
thetic nerve, extends to some remote part of the 
body. Thus the thirty-one pairs are distributed, 
each in its order, to the different organs. 

“The great sympathetic nerve, so called be¬ 
cause through it is produced a sympathy be¬ 
tween different organs of the body, consists of a 
series of ganglia, connected by nerve fibers, situ¬ 
ated on each side of the spinal column, and ex¬ 
tending from the base of the skull to the lower 
part of the spine. When heat or cold is applied 
on each side of the spine, over these ganglia, it 
exerts a powerful influence upon the organs to 
which nerves from these ganglia are distributed. 

“ Hot applications over the ganglia that sends 
nerves to the lungs, heart, stomach, liver, bowels, 
kidneys, or genital organs, will diminish the 
flow of blood to those organs. Thus, for inflam¬ 
mation of the head and throat, apply cold to the 
inflamed parts, and heat to the back of the neck; 
for inflammation of the pleura, lungs, or heart, 
apply cold to the chest, and heat to the spine, 
between the shoulders; for inflammation of the 
stomach, liver, or spleen, place cool or cold appli¬ 
cations over the part, and apply heat to the 
spine, just below the shoulder blades; for in¬ 
flammation of the bowels, kidneys, or genital or¬ 
gans, apply cold to the inflamed part, and heat 


GENERAL RULES FOR BATHING. 


17 


to the middle and lower part of the back. Heat, 
applied to the spine in these places, will check 
hemorrhage in the organs to which the particular 
nerves over which the application is made are 
distributed. Uterine hemorrhage is effectually 
arrested by the application of heat to the middle 
of the back. 

“ Ice applied between the shoulders increases 
the flow ol blood to the breast and warms the 
hands. Ice applied to the lower portion of the 
spine prevents cold feet, relieves painful men¬ 
struation, piles, constipation, cholera, chronic 
diarrhea, spermatorrhea, and removes diseases of 
the bladder and many other difficulties. Ice, ap¬ 
plied the whole length of the spine, is very effect¬ 
ual in cases of epilepsy, Saint Vitus’s dance, dia¬ 
betes, and paralysis.” 

GENERAL RULES FOR BATHING. 

1. A bath should never be taken when the 
stomach is actively engaged in digesting food; 
for in bathing, the blood is sent to the surface in 
such ouantities that the work of digestion would 
be retarded if it was taking place at the time of 
taking the bath. For the same reason, food 
should not be taken into the stomach immedi¬ 
ately after a bath, nor until ample time has been 
allowed the system to react well. The most ap¬ 
propriate time to take a bath is about ten or 
eleven o’clock in the forenoon. 

The system, as a general thing, is in better 
condition at that time than at any other of the 
day. The body has been refreshed by the morn¬ 
ing meal, which, by that time, should be well di- 

The Bath. 2 




18 


THE BATH. 


gested, and it has not become wearied with the 
labors of the day. 

The bath may be taken on retiring for the 
night with the best of results, or in the afternoon. 
And on special occasions, when accident or sud¬ 
den sickness seems to demand, it may be taken 
at any hour of the day or night. 

2. Women should not take much treatment 
during the menstrual period; for a cold bath at 
that time would be very liable to check the 
menstrual function, and might cause most serious 
consequences ; while a hot bath would be liable 
to produce hemorrhage, and any form of a bath 
would be liable to overtax the system unless the 
bather was of the most robust constitution. 

3. A bath should never be taken in such a 
manner as to produce cold feet, or headache; al¬ 
ways wet the head with cool or cold water before 
taking the bath, and if the feet are cold, have a 
warm or hot bath for them. 

4. Never bathe when the body is greatly fa¬ 
tigued; for proper reaction cannot then take 
place and the patient will be liable to chill, and 
so will not receive the benefit he otherwise 
would; yet a lively sponge-bath, or a plunge or 
shower-bath, would have a soothing effect, even 
if taken when the bather was somewhat tired, if 
he was not too much fatigued. 

5. All general baths should be taken briskly, 
and the bather himself should rub vigorously, 
that he may quicken his circulation and respira¬ 
tion, and thus secure the warmth and reaction 
that are so essential after every bath. 

6. A sheet is much better than a towel to dry the 
body after bathing, as it is so much larger. When 
possible, the bather should have an assistant to 


19 


GENERAL RULES FOR BATHING. 

rub him while in the bath, and to dry him after¬ 
ward. In drying the bather, the assistant should 
cover him with the sheet in such a manner as to 
completely envelop his body. He should then 
rub the body thoroughly, pressing the sheet down 
upon every part, drying it well; after this, the 
sheet should be removed, and the assistant should 
rub the entire surface of the body well with the 
dry hand. It is always well to percuss or slap 
the flesh gently with the hand for one or two 
minutes after wiping dry with the sheet or towel. 
The entire process of drying the patient, and 
rubbing and percussing him until a good reaction 
takes place, ought not to occupy more than four 
or five minutes. 

7. Whenever an invalid takes a bath, it should 
be in a warm room, so that he shall not chill. 
The temperature of the room should be from 70° 
to 85° Fahrenheit. 

8. When the weather is suitable, the bather 
should take exercise in the open air immediately 
after his bath, unless he is too weak to do so. 
If the weather is not suitable, or if the bather is 
too feeble to take active exercise, he should re¬ 
tire to his room and cover up warm in bed for an 
hour or so, and sleep if possible. 

9. None but the very strongest persons should 
bathe in cold water. Nervous individuals, and 
those who have weak digestive organs, or who 
have a feeble circulation, should not use even 
very cool water in bathing, neither should con¬ 
sumptives, nor those who are liable to hemorrhage, 
nor those who are just recovering from any severe 

! acute disease. Not one in a thousand of the 
strongest men and women can take frequent cold 
baths without seriously damaging his health. 





20 


THE BATH. 


10. Always use a thermometer to determine 
the temperature of the bath for invalids. 

TEMPERATURE OF BATHS. 

Many of the early practitioners of hydropathy 
have brought the system into lasting disrepute 
by the indiscriminate use of cold water in treat¬ 
ing the sick; and very many persons at the pres¬ 
ent day have such a horror of the cold-water cure 
that they will hardly tolerate the use of water 
at any temperature, even for cleanliness. 

The various conditions and temperaments of 
patients require that the bath for one should differ 
in temperature and duration from that for another. 
A general rule to be observed is that all weak 
and nervous patients should bathe in water of 
that degree of temperature most agreeable. 

Baths are classified as cold, cool, tepid, warm, 
and hot. The nervous sensibilities of people dif¬ 
fer so widely that a bath which would seem tepid 
to one person is cool to another, while it might 
seem warm to a third. Again, disease, or change 
in the temperature of the atmosphere, may so 
change a person’s condition that a bath that 
would seem cool to him at one time might seem 
tepid at another; so we find that our sensations 
are not the proper guides for us to follow. 

The following table gives the temperature of 
the various baths as indicated by Fahenlieit’s 
thermometer. 

Cold baths range from 32° to 65° 

Cool “ - " 65° to 80° 

Tepid “ “ “ 80° to 92° 

Warm “ “ “ 92° to 98° 

Hot « “ <• 98° to 115° 





TIIE SPONGE OK HAND-BATH. 


21 


As 32° is the freezing point, a bath should 
never be given at this temperature. Water at 
from 55° to G5° will be as cold as need be for the 
cold bath, if given as a general bath ; yet in many 
local diseases, ice-water, and even ice itself, is 
none too cold to be applied to the affected parts. 

BATHS FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN. 

To most children the bath is a luxury, if prop¬ 
erly given. It should be tepid or warm for very 
young or feeble infants, and should not be too 
frequently administered. A general bath once in 
four or five days will be sufficient for such chil¬ 
dren, except in very hot weather, when, if the 
heat affects them much, they should be bathed 
more frequently. 

After children are six or seven months old, if 
they are stout and healthy, a tepid or cool hand- 
bath two or three times a week, if properly ad¬ 
ministered, will prove just as beneficial to them 
as is the daily currying to young colts. Children 
should always be bathed quickly. The naked 
hand is better than either a sponge or a cloth to 
rub the body with while bathing. 

THE SPONGE OR HAND-BATH. 

This bath is more easily administered than 
any other form of bath that can be given, as it 
can be taken in any room in the house, or may 
be given to very feeble patients even while in 
bed. All that is required is a basin of water, a 
sponge or soft cloth, and a towel, with a rug to 
spread on the carpet to prevent soiling it. A 
very good protector for the carpet can be very 
easily made. Take a piece of cotton cloth one 




22 


THE BATH. 


and one-lialf yards square, and hem in a one-half 
inch rope around the edge. Then paint the cloth 
with two or three coats of white lead and boiled 
linseed oil; this will make it water tight, and 
the edges being raised by the rope will prevent 
any water from running over upon the carpet or 
floor. In taking the sponge-bath, have a bucket 
or large basin of water, which may be of any 
temperature that the conditions of the body may 
demand, into which, dip the sponge, and on re¬ 
moving, squeeze it until it does not drip, and 
then wash the face, neck, head, and arms first, 
rubbing them vigorously. Then wipe dry. Next, 
wash the back, chest, and abdomen, and wipe in 
the same manner; after which, bathe the lower 
extremities in the same way. When this bath 
is given to the patient while in bed, as is often 
necessary with those who are very feeble, begin 
with the head, and proceed in the same manner, 
always keeping the parts that have been dried 
well covered with the bedclothes. This is a bath 
of universal application, there being no patient 
so feeble that it may not be administered with 
safety, provided the water is of the right degree 
of temperature. It will cleanse the skin thor¬ 
oughly, and will equalize the circulation by in¬ 
ducing a gentle reaction to the entire surface. 
It will relieve congestion of the internal organs 
by inducing an increased circulation in the sur¬ 
face. It will subdue fever and allay inflamma¬ 
tion by reducing the temperature of the body; 
and it will give a general feeling of freshness to 
the entire system. It will also soothe the nerves, 
if they are excited, as nothing else will, and will 
produce quiet, rest, and sleep many times when all 
other things fail. This bath may be given wdtli 


THE FULL-BATH. 


23 


the naked hand, and is, when given thus, a milder 
form of the bath than when given with the sponge, 
as less water is applied to the patient’s body. 

THE PULL-BATH. 

For persons who are in health, and for the 
majority of those who are invalids, there is no 
bath that affords more pleasure than the full- 
bath when rightly administered, with water of 
the proper temperature. Every family should 
possess a bath-tub of sufficient size to allow the 
taking of this bath. For this purpose, the bath¬ 
tub should be about six feet long, twenty or 
twenty-four inches wide, and eighteen or twenty 
inches deep. Those wdio can afford a separate 
room for bathing purposes, and who have a 
plentiful supply of water, should have such a 
tub. It should be lined with tinned copper, or 
with zinc, and should have an outlet in the bot¬ 
tom, w 7 ith a stopper. Those who cannot afford 
such a bath-room and tub can make a portable 
tub that will answer every purpose. 

Make a rim of hickory, and bend it into form, 
so that it shall resemble the outline of a full-bath 
tub; then make a sack in the shape the tub is 
to be, of heavy duck cloth, and nail it to the 
wmoden rim; then paint the cloth on both sides 
with white-lead paint, or oil it with boiled lin¬ 
seed oil. Two coats will be required to make it 
water-tight. In taking the full-bath, water suf¬ 
ficient to cover the patient all except his head, 
Avhen lying down, is required. 

This bath is very useful for cleanliness and re¬ 
freshment, and there is no bath better than this 



24 


THE RATH. 


to remove soreness from the muscles, or stiffness 
from the joints, after the toils and fatigues of 
physical labor, or to calm the excitement of the 
brain and nervous system after prolonged mental 
labor. If this hath is taken to afford refreshment 
to the nervous system, the water should be tepid, 
and the bath should last about ten minutes. If 
it is intended to remove soreness or stiffness from 
the muscles and joints, it should be warm, and 
should be prolonged to fifteen or twenty min¬ 
utes, after which it should be reduced to tepid, 
and continued five minutes longer. The bather 
should rub himself well while in the bath. If it 
is administered for the purpose of breaking up a 
cold, the water should be very warm, or hot, and 
it should be administered for fifteen or twenty 
minutes unless the patient sweats freely, or be¬ 
comes faint; in either of these cases, the temper¬ 
ature of the water should be reduced ten or fif¬ 
teen degrees, for three to five minutes before the 
patient leaves the bath. 

The hot full-bath is very useful in relieving 
the acute pains of neuralgia, rheumatism, gout, 
and many other painful intiammatory affections. 
It will also often greatly mitigate the cold stage 
in fever and ague and other fevers. Care must 
be taken to cool the patient gradually, after tak¬ 
ing a hot full-bath. This may be done by cool¬ 
ing the water, as above described, and then, as 
the patient rises from his bath, pouring a few 
quarts of cool water over him. Always wet the 
patient’s head with cold water before taking this, 
or any other form of bath. 




THE SHALLOW-BATH. 


25 


THE HALF-BATH. 

This bath is taken in the same tub as is the 
full-bath, the patient, however, occupies a sitting 
posture. An amount of water sufficient to cover 
the limbs and feet, and a portion of the abdomen, 
is required. An attendant should rub the chest 
and back, while the patient, if able, should rub 
the abdomen and limbs. This is a milder form 
than the full-bath. It is much employed in dys¬ 
peptic affections, liver complaints, affections of 
the spleen and kidneys, weakness or torpor of 
the abdominal muscles, spinal irritation, uterine 
diseases, and in all forms of mismenstruation. 
The temperature of this bath should not be above 
95° nor below 75°. This bath is useful in all 
spasmodic affections: and in the early stages of 
fever, the prolonged half-bath may be employed 
with the very best of results. Patients suffering 
with inflammation of the bowels and adjacent 
organs, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera morbus, 
colic, etc., will find the prolonged half-bath well 
adapted to their conditions, and they will derive 
great benefit from its use. This bath is always 
safe for any length of time under sixty minutes, 
provided the patient is not fatigued, chilled, nor 
overheated, thereby. 

THE SHALLOW-BATH. 

This bath is better adapted to very feeble pa¬ 
tients than either the half-bath or the full-bath; 
hence it is more frequently employed in treat¬ 
ment. 

The ordinary bathing-tub can be used in giv¬ 
ing the shallow-bath ; but it is more convenient 






26 


TIIE BATII. 


to use an oval or circular tub, wliich should be 
about nine inches deep, and raised about one 
foot above the floor. 

The water in the shallow-bath should not be 
more than five or six inches deep. The temper¬ 
ature, which must be adapted to circumstances, 
should be between C5° and 90°. If the patient 
is feeble and the circulation weak, and the sensi¬ 
bilities keen, the water should be of a higher 
temperature than if the patient has more strength 
or is less sensitive. The bather should assume a 
sitting posture, as in the half-bath. He should 
be rubbed vigorously, either by himself or by an 
attendant, so as to get up as good an action of 
the tissues as possible, and to induce an active 
circulation in the surface. The arms, chest, legs, 
and feet, should each receive their share of the 
rubbing by the patient, if he is able, while the 
attendant rubs the back, shoulders, and other 
parts of the body. 

If no attendant is present, the patient should 
fill the sponge with water and squeeze it re¬ 
peatedly over the neck and shoulders, letting the 
water run down the back. If a sponge cannot be 
obtained, a soft towel will answer every purpose. 
After dipping it in water and squeezing it over 
the shoulders a few times, the towel may be 
thrown across the back, one end being grasped 
by one hand above the shoulder, and the other 
end by the other hand below the waist. The 
towel may then be drawn briskly in various di¬ 
rections across the back until it has received its 
share of the general rubbing. The patient may 
remain in this bath from one to fifteen or twenty 
minutes, according to his condition. On leaving 
the bath, a few quarts of water, five or ten dc- 


THE 11IP OR S1TZ-BATII. 


27 


guees cooler than the bath, should be poured over 
the patient’s body, and this should be followed 
by the dry rubbing-sheet and rubbing with the 
dry hands. This is a derivative bath, and is 
well calculated to draw the blood from any con¬ 
gested organ to the surface. It is also very use¬ 
ful in cooling the blood in hot stages of fever, 
and in many forms of inflammatory disease. It 
is also good to relieve a rush of blood to the 
head, sunstroke, apoplexy, delirium tremens, and 
all forms of spasmodic diseases, as fits, convul¬ 
sions, etc. It is also useful in relieving a person 
suffering from the effects of severe nervous agita¬ 
tion. The cool or tepid bath is, the best and 
safest temperature, and the one at which this 
bath should generally be given, yet there is no 
danger in taking it at any temperature, provided 
a proper reaction is induced, so that the patient 
resumes his usual temperature afterward. 

In givinor this bath to relieve children when in 
spasms, place the child in the tub, and with the 
hand apply cold water to the spine two or three 
times; this will, in most cases, bring relief from 
the spasm. 

THE HIP OE SITZ-BATH. 

The sitz-bath may be given in a common wash- 
tub, although a tub made for the purpose is bet¬ 
ter. If a wash-tub is used, the back side of it 
should be raised three or four inches. To give 
this bath properly, three or four gallons of water 
are required. It may be given either cold, cool, 
tepid, warm, or hot. In this, as in all other baths, 
the cold and the hot, being the extremes,- produce 
much more powerful results than will the cool, 





28 


THE HATH. 


tepid, or warm baths, and, consequently, require 
more attention in their application. 

This bath is a powerful tonic when applied 
cold, or cool, daily for five to ten minutes. But 
if it is extended to twenty or thirty minutes, it 
becomes a strong derivative and sedative, whether 
given cool, tepid, or warm. For diseases of the 
bowels, urinary and reproductive organs, this 
bath is invaluable. For constipation, diarrhea, 
dysentery, piles, diseases of the kidneys and blad¬ 
der, and for chronic affections of the stomach, 
liver, and spleen, it is one of the most effectual 
forms of bath that can be used. 

In taking this bath, always wet the head with 
cold water before sitting down in the tub. The 
feet should be placed in a foot-bath while taking 
the sitz-bath. The water for the foot-bath should 
be five or eight degrees warmer than the sitz- 
bath. After the patient is seated in the bath, 
an attendant should throw a blanket over him 
in such a manner as to completely cover all but 
his head. It should be so adjusted as to keep 
the steam from escaping from the bath-tub. The 
patient should then throughly rub his abdomen, 
chest, and hips. The length of time to which 
this bath should be prolonged, and the tempera¬ 
ture at which it should be given, depend wholly 
upon the condition of the patient and the effect 
desired to be produced. If the patient is weak 
and debilitated, and it is desired to tone up his 
system, the bath should be taken at a tempera¬ 
ture of from 85° to 90°, for five or eight minutes, 
after which it should be reduced ten degrees and 
continued three minutes longer. II it is taken for 
the purpose of removing congestion, or to relieve 
headache, it should be at a temperature of from 


THE 11IP Oil SITZ-BATII. 


29 


90° to 98°, and should be prolonged to twelve or 
fifteen minutes; after which, reduce the water 10° 
and take the bath for three or five minutes longer. 

For removing a severe cold, wet the head with 
cold water and have the water in the sitz-tub 
at 100°, gradually raising it to 110°, with that in 
the foot-bath two or three decrees hotter. Cover 
the patient with a blanket, as before directed, 
and let him sit in the bath for fifteen minutes or 
half an hour, unless he sweats profusely, or be¬ 
comes weary, or liable to faint; in which case, 
take him out, after first cooling the bath in the usual 
manner. It will be necessary to add, occasionally, 
hot water to that in the bath, while the patient is 
in it, so as to keep it at the proper temperature, 
which should be as hot as he can well bear. 
Drinking a glass of hot water after sitting in the 
bath eight or ten minutes will hasten the sweat¬ 
ing process. The patient should not be allowed 
to remain long in the bath after sweating begins. 
The object is not to occasion profuse sweating, 
but to open the pores of the skin, and thus estab¬ 
lish the work of depuration through the skin, and 
draw the blood from the congested organs. After 
sweating has begun, or on leaving this bath for 
any cause, the water in both the foot-bath and 
the sitz-bath should be reduced 10°, and after the 
lapse of three minutes it should be reduced 10 3 
more. The patient should then wash off briskly, 
wipe dry, and rub well with the naked hand. 
One such bath will usually break up the very 
worst cold if the patient will, in the meantime, 
abstain from eating for one or two meals, being 
careful not'to expose himself, and keeping quiet. 

Prolonged cold hip-baths should never be taken 
except by direction of a skillful physician, for 






30 


THE BATII. 


there is danger of producing local congestion 
if they are given unskillfully. 

THE FOOT-BATH. 

This bath may be taken in a large wash-basin 
or tin pan, or in a water bucket, or in a tub made 
for the purpose. It consists in placing the feet 
in a sufficient amount of water to cover both them 
and the ankles well. It may be of any tempera¬ 
ture that the condition of the patient shall re¬ 
quire, and may be of from one to thirty minutes’ 
duration. The cold foot-bath should always be of 
very short duration. The hot foot-bath, taken three 
or four times a day for three to five minutes, will 
often relieve headache, toothache, or acute pain 
in any part. When taken in connection with 
the sitz-bath, the foot-bath is a most useful an- 
plication. 


THE SHOWER-BATH. 

The ordinary shower-bath consists of a number 
of small streams of water falling upon the patient 
from a perforated vessel. The effect produced 
depends upon the size of the streams, the bight 
from whence they fall, and the temperature of the 
water. Large streams of cold water, if falling 
but a short distance, will produce a severe shock 
on the nervous system. Small streams will pro¬ 
duce an equally severe shock if the water falls 
through a considerable space. Several years 
since, the shower-bath was the favorite bath in 
many water-cure establishments; but as it was 
administered quite cold, it injured many patients 
by its severity; hence, it gradually fell into dis- 


Til ID SHOVVEll-BATH. 


31 


repute, and the spray-bath has generally taken 
its place in health institutions. 

The shower-bath is, however, very valuable if 
properly administered. It should be taken, as a 
general thing, at a temperature of from 70° to 
90°, when it will be found quite effective as a 
tonic. The cold shower upon the head is quite 
injurious, as well as painful, if the water falls any 
considerable distance, and is applied for any con¬ 
siderable length of time. Used in this way, it 
has sometimes been adopted in penitentiaries as 
a mode of punishment for intractable prisoners. 
The culprit was placed on a seat in such a 
manner that he could not move his body or head 
from a fixed position. A small stream of ice 
water was then allowed to fall several feet and 
strike the crown of the head. This infliction 
was so severe that it was more dreaded by the 
prisoners who had once received it than was the 
time-honored cat-o-nine-tails. The injurious effects 
on the prisoners was very great; not so much, 
however, from the water itself, as from its ex¬ 
tremely low temperature, and prolonged applica¬ 
tion, together with the fact that the culprit was 
confined in a fixed position. 

The shower-bath should be given in the fol¬ 
lowing manner: Begin with tepid water, then 
change to cool, and at last, for an instant, a dash 
of cold water. Never let the cold water fall di¬ 
rectly upon the head except for an instant. Be¬ 
gin with letting the water fall upon the hands 
and arms, rubbing them briskly in the mean time; 
then let it fall upon the legs and feet, then upon 
the various parts of the body. 

This bath is very useful when properly applied, 
not only in promoting cleanliness, but also in ex- 




THE BATH. 


citing the superficial circulation, and in remov¬ 
ing internal congestions and inflammations. It 
may be given advantageously, also, in some cases, 
after a pack or vapor-bath. 

THE SPSAY-BATH, 

This bath has taken the place of the shower 
bath in many health institutes. It is produced 
by connecting a hose pipe with spray attachment 
to a force pump, or water-pipe where there is a 
considerable pressure, the water being forced 
through a flat plate of copper or brass which is 
perforated with several small holes. 

In giving the spray-bath, it is better to have 
the v/ater so arranged that it can be changed 
from hot to cold, or any intermediate temperature, 
at pleasure. Probably this bath affords more 
pleasure than any other bath that can be admin¬ 
istered. It is a light bath, and may be taken 
with safety by patients too feeble to take many 
other forms of bath. 

The spray-bath may be administered with 
profit after almost any other. It is very useful 
in subduing local inflammations and swellings, in 
reducing fever, and in inducing an active circu¬ 
lation in the surface. 

DRIPPING-SHEET BATH. 

This is a very useful and pleasant manner of 
taking a light bath. The bather should stand in 
a shallow foot-bath at a temperature the same as 
the general bath. An attendant should dip a 
large sheet in water of the proper temperature, 
then taking the sheet by one end in both hands 
in such a manner that it can be readily spread 


DRIPPING-SHEET BATH. 


33 


out, lie should lift it, dripping wet, and apply 
one corner to the patient’s shoulder in such a 
manner that the side of the sheet shall hang per¬ 
pendicular and just reach to the floor, and then, 
holding that comer in place on the shoulder, the 
sheet should he passed around the patient until 
he is completely enveloped in it with the excep¬ 
tion of his head. This should he done very 
quickly, fifteen or twenty seconds being all the 
time required. As soon as the sheet is applied, 
the attendant should proceed to rub the patient 
vigorously, yet carefully. The hands should pass 
three or four times over the same place, then over 
adjoining parts, and so on until every part of the 
body has received its clue proportion, and should 
then be repeated ; after which, a pail of water five 
degrees cooler than the sheet may be poured on 
the chest and shoulders, and the rubbing process 
repeated for two or three minutes. The attend¬ 
ant should then remove the wet sheet, and im¬ 
mediately envelop the patient in a dry one, and 
proceed to rub him as before, continuing the op¬ 
eration until the entire surface of the body is dry, 
after which, the dry hand-rubbing and percussing 
may be vigorously given for two or three minutes. 
It is a very valuable bath for those patients who 
are too feeble to take a prolonged full-bath, or 
who may be suffering from nervous affections, 
dyspepsia, general debility, inflammation, fever, 
and in cases of feeble circulation, and local con¬ 
gestion or inflammation, as it occasions increased 
activity in the superficial circulation, and tones 
up the entire system, stimulating the nervous or¬ 
ganism to renewed action, thus occasioning an 
alterative effect. It also serves the purpose of an 

Tha Bath. 3 



34 


THE BATH. 


antispasmodic, being just the bath required in 
spasmodic affections. If the bather has a good 
degree of strength the bath may be administered 
cool; but if he is weak, or of feeble constitution, or 
nervous, it should be given either tepid or warm. 

The dripping-sheet is seldom applied cold, 
the temperature adapted to the majority of cases 
being from 85° to 95°. 

THE WET-SHEET-SUB. 

This bath differs from the preceding in that 
most of the water is wrung from the sheet before 
it is applied to the patient; it may be given over 
the carpet, and in any room in the house. In 
this bath the sheet is applied to the patient’s 
body in the same manner as is the dripping- 
sheet, and the rubbing process is precisely simi¬ 
lar. It is well adapted to persons of very feeble 
constitutions, as it is a still lighter bath than the 
preceding one. If the sheet is applied two or 
three times, it becomes equally as heavy treat¬ 
ment as the dripping-sheet. 

THE DRY-SHEET-RUB. 

This cannot be properly considered as a bath, 
yet as it is an important adjunct to all the gen¬ 
eral baths, besides being a very useful method of 
treating many forms of disease when unaccom¬ 
panied with water treatment, I will describe it. 

A dry sheet is thrown around the patient, so 
as to completely envelop him, all but the head, 
when an attendant proceeds to rub him from 
head to foot with the hand, rubbing briskly over 
the sheet. The rubbing should be continued for 
ten or fifteen minutes. 


THE DOUCHE-BATH. 


35 


This form of treatment is good for those who 
are afflicted with almost any form of chronic dis¬ 
ease, and especially for those who are troubled 
with inactivity of the skin; and it is also valua¬ 
ble for those who are in perfect health, and may 
be used as a substitute for bathing when the 
latter would be difficult. Invalids who cannot 
take water treatment without chilling afterward 
will find the dry-sheet-rub a most beneficial mode 
of treatment. It may be taken on rising in the 
morning, before dressing, or it may be deferred 
until the regular bath hour, which is three hours 
after breakfast or dinner. In cases of nervous¬ 
ness and sleeplessness, the dry-sheet-rub may be 
taken on retiring, or at any time during the 
night. 

It is well to give this form of treatment on 
alternate days on which no water treatment is 
given. 

In giving the dry-sheet-rub for the purpose of 
drying the patient after a bath, the sheet should 
be applied as previously indicated, and the body 
and limbs of the patient should be rubbed until 
they are dry and warm. 

THE DOUCHE-BATH. 

This bath is simply a falling stream of water, 
so arranged that it shall fall on any desired part 
of the patient’s body. There are several forms 
of this bath. 

THE CATARACT-DOUCHE. 

This is a sheet of water, a foot or more in width, 
made to fall obliquely on the body. Sometimes 
two buckets are so arranged that they shall at 


36 


THE BATII. 


the same instant discharge their contents in a 
broad sheet, striking the patient on his shoulders 
and chest. 

THE PAIL-DOUCHE. 

This is given by an attendant, who suddenly 
dashes three or four pailfuls of water over the 
chest, shoulders, back, and sides of the patient. 

THE HOSE-DOUCHE. 

This bath can be used when there is a suffi¬ 
cient fall from the tank or fountain head to force 
a stream one-half or three-fourths of an inch in 
diameter through a hose-pipe with considerable 
force, or it may be given by attaching the pipe 
to a force-pump. 

In giving this bath, the attendant holds the 
hose-pipe—which should have a properly-con¬ 
structed metallic nozzle—in his hand, and directs 
the stream to such parts of the body as it may 
be desirable to bathe in this manner. This bath 
is well adapted to inflammations, congestions, or 
enlargements of the vital organs, to tumors, 
swellings or stiffness of the joints, and, in fact, 
to nearly all local difficulties. The stream should 
be directed to the affected parts. In cases of in¬ 
flammation, it should be applied cool or cold. If 
applied cold to the entire surface of the body, it 
will produce quite a shock, and should be taken 
by those only whose powers of reaction are great; 
but as a local bath, none need fear its effects. 
When taken as a general bath, the stream should 
be directed, for a brief space of time, along the 
spinal column, then across the shoulders, sides, 
hips, and limbs. If the bowels are torpid, a 


TIIE ASCENDING DOUCHE. 


37 


small stream may be applied to the surface of the - 
abdomen; but it should not be applied with very 
great force. 

The douche may be given so as to produce a 
very slight degree of impression, or it may be so 
given as to produce as powerful effects as it is 
possible for the patient to bear, or any degree 
between these two points. All depends upon 
the size of the stream, the temperature of the 
water, and the amount of force with which it is 
applied. 

THE ASCENDING-DOUCHE. 

This is simply an ascending stream of water 
passing through a pipe, as in the hose-douche. 
The nozzle of the pipe is usually fixed in the 
floor so as to throw the stream in a perpendicular 
direction. This form of bath is very useful in 
piles, prolapsus of the uterus, falling of the bow¬ 
els, constipation, etc. The stream should not be 
very strong, otherwise it might cause serious in¬ 
convenience. 

A very convenient douche-bath may be con¬ 
structed by placing a small barrel or tank in such 
a position that water from it will have a fall of 
eight to twelve feet to strike the patient’s body. 
To this tank attach a short piece of hose-pipe, 
with a nozzle and stop-cock, and the bath may 
be easily managed. For local applications, an 
excellent douche can be administered by an as¬ 
sistant with the aid of a pitcher, only, which 
should be held a few feet above the point of ap¬ 
plication, a steady stream of water being poured 
from it upon the part affected. This we have 
often done with the best of results in cases of 




38 


TIIE BATH. 


sprained joints, concussions, etc. In most water- 
cure establishments, the douche has been admin¬ 
istered cold in the majority of cases; but our ex¬ 
perience is in favor of the warm douche, espe¬ 
cially in treating painful swellings and inflamed 
joints. 

THE DROP-BATH. 

The drop-bath is usually applied very cold. It 
is administered by letting water fall in single 
drops from a small aperture in a vessel that has 
been elevated a few feet. It is useful in remov¬ 
ing swellings, corns, tumors, etc. This form of 
bath has been used with very great advantage 
in cases of complicated wounds and fractures, 
where it was essential that inflammation should 
be prevented. 

THE PLUNGE-BATH. 

This is the bath which swimmers take in riv¬ 
ers, lakes, ponds, and in the sea. The youth of 
both sexes usually enjoy this bath, also many 
who are not so youthful. There are persons who 
practice bathing in such places the year round, 
regardless of the temperature of the water, even 
cutting the ice in midwinter and plunging into 
the ice-cold water. It is barely possible that the 
most vigorous and robust could do this without 
injury; but it is extremely doubtful whether any 
person could bathe thus for any very great length 
of time without ruining his health. Some of the 
water-cure establishments have in a room adjoin¬ 
ing their bath-room a large tank from ten to fif¬ 
teen feet square, and four or five feet deep, filled 
with cool water, into which the patient is allowed 


THE WET-SHEET PACK. 


39 


to plunge immediately after taking a hot-air 
batli and many other forms of sweating baths. 
The patient is cooled, however, before taking the 
plunge-bath, which is found to be very refreshing. 
In such a tank the patient can swim or plunge 
at pleasure. The water is kept pure and of the 
right degree of temperature, by a constant stream 
of water flowing into the tank, the temperature of 
which can be controlled at pleasure. This form of 
bath confers no benefits that cannot be obtained 
from some other bath, and as it is somewhat ex¬ 
pensive when artificially prepared, it can never be¬ 
come very general in its use ; yet there are very 
many persons whose habitations are near some 
pool or stream, who will in the warm season of 
the year find both pleasure and benefit in taking 
the plunge-bath occasionally. 

THE WET-SHEET PACK. 

The wet-sheet pack is, when judiciously ad¬ 
ministered, one of the most successful modes of 
treatment that has ever been devised. It is espe¬ 
cially adapted to bilious affections, and to all kinds 
of fevers. To administer the pack successfully, 
spread on the bed or lounge two or three or more 
blankets or comforters, the number required de¬ 
pending on their thickness and the temperature of 
the weather and of the patient; three will generally 
be sufficient in cold weather, and two, in warm. 
Next, spread a woolen sheet or blanket over them. 
Then wet a large cotton or linen sheet, and wring 
it so that it will not drip ; or, if the patient is 
feeble, wring it still more, then spread the sheet 
over the blanket and let the patient lie down on 
it upon his back. Having done this, he should 




40 


T11E BATH. 


elevate his arms, and an attendant should fold 
the sheet over him from one side, letting it come 
close up under both arms, and drop between the 
limbs so as to completely envelop each limb by 
itself. Having done this, the patient should 
place his arms by his side or across his chest, 
when the attendant should fold the sheet over 
him from the other side, covering both arms, 
shoulders, and neck. Care should be taken to 
have the wet sheet touch all parts of the body 
and limbs, and to have it wrapped closely about 
the neck and feet; but it should not be drawn 
too tightly, for if it is, the patient will become 
. restless. As soon as the sheet is properly ad¬ 
justed, each blanket should be folded separately 
across the patient, first from one side, then from 
the other, taking care to fold them about the 
neck in such a manner as to exclude all the air. 
The head should be elevated a little so that the 
patient can lie comfortable. Care must be taken 
to cover the feet carefully, so as to keep them 
warm; and if clothing fails to do this, a jug of 
hot water or a hot brick should be applied to 
them. The patient’s head should be kept cool 
while in the pack by the frequent application ol 
wet cloths. It is well to have a piece of oilcloth 
two feet square spread under the patient’s head 
to prevent wetting the bedding. If the patient’s 
feet become cold, his head will be apt to become 
hot, and ache; therefore keep the head cool and 
the feet warm. 

The temperature of the water in which the 
sheet is wet should depend altogether upon the 
conditions of the patient. If he is vigorous, and 
has a strong circulation, he will react better from 
a cool pack than from a warm or tepid one ; but 


TEE WET-SIIEET PACK. 


41 


if he is weak, or lias a feeble circulation, the pack 
should be warm, or at least tepid. If the patient 
does not warm readily after entering the pack, 
more blankets should be placed over him, or hot 
bricks or bottles of hot water should be applied 
to his sides. 

The length of time that a person should remain 
in a pack varies according to circumstances. 
Some people think that sweating should always 
be induced before leaving the pack; but this is 
not essential. It is quite important, however, 
that the patient should become thoroughly warm 
before leaving it, and if he is inclined to remain 
chilly, a glass of hot water or of hot lemonade 
should be given him to drink. As a general rule, 
from thirty to forty-five minutes will be a suffi¬ 
cient length of time for a patient to remain in a 
pack unless he rests so comfortably that he falls 
asleep, in which case, he need not be awakened 
for an hour unless he becomes liable to chill, or 
sweats too freely, or his sleep does not appear 
to be natural. If the patient gives evidence of 
exhaustion, or sweats profusely, take him out im¬ 
mediately, even if he lias not been in the pack 
more than ten minutes. The Avet-slieet pack is 
applicable in all diseases in which it is desirable 
to purify the blood, and in all spasmodic affec¬ 
tions. It allays excitement, quiets the nerves, 
and allays all irritations; and when given at a 
temperature so as to meet the actual state of the 
patient, it is the most soothing application that 
can be administered to the external surface. 

The pack is very useful in fevers. If the fever 
is high, the pack may be administered three or 
four times in the twenty-four hours, in which 
case the patient should not be allowed to remain 





42 


THE BATH. 


in it long at any one time. In past time it was 
thought that the cold pack was the best in fevers ; 
but it is now found that the tepid pack is better 
in most cases, for the reason that the reaction 
after the cold pack is apt to increase the fever. 
In some cases it is better to apply very warm, 
and even hot, packs in fever than to give those 
of a lower temperature. If the patient continues 
to chill while in the pack, he should be taken 
out, and immediately given either a warm sitz- 
bath or full-bath; or if there is no hot water 
ready, he should take the dry-sheet rub and then 
cover up warm in bed. There is no danger, how¬ 
ever, of a patient of medium strength chilling, 
provided the blankets are properly adjusted. 
The pack should always be followed by the drip¬ 
ping-sheet, spray, or sponge-bath, after which the 
dry sheet should be applied, the patient being 
wiped dry, and then well rubbed with the naked 
hand. Very feeble persons should not take this 
pack. 


THE HALF-PACK. 

This pack is given to persons who have feeble 
constitutions witli habitually cold extremities. 
It can be given with safety to those who are too 
weak to bear a full-pack. The wet sheet extends 
only from the armpits to a little below the hips; 
but in all other respects it is given like the full- 
pack. The patient’s feet must be kept warm 
during and after the pack, and his head must be 
kept cool. The half-pack may be employed ad¬ 
vantageously in the treatment of inflammation of 
the lungs, pleurisy, inflammation of the liver, 
stomach, bowels, kidneys, uterus, and other or- 


THE CHEST-PACK. 


43 


gans of the pelvis. In many cases these difficul¬ 
ties may be fully controlled by the half-pack 
with no other applications whatever. With this, 
as with all other baths, the conditions of the pa¬ 
tient and the end to be accomplished must deter¬ 
mine the length of time the patient should re¬ 
main in the pack, and the temperature at which 
it should be administered. It may be applied 
either cold, cool, tepid, warm, or hot, and is use¬ 
ful in every case in which a full-pack is beneficial, 
being, however, a milder form of the pack. On 
leaving the half-pack the patient should take 
some mild bath, either the drip-sheet, spray, or 
sponge, and follow these with the dry-sheet and 
dry-hand rubbing. 

LEG-PACK. 

Many persons who suffer with habitually cold 
feet can overcome this difficulty by taking a cold 
leg and foot-pack for from twenty to sixty min¬ 
utes, or by applying cold wet cloths for a short 
time daily. The head should be wet in cold wa¬ 
ter before applying cold water to the feet. On 
removing the pack, the feet should be dipped in 
cold water for an instant, and then wiped dry and 
well rubbed and percussed with the dry hand. 

THE CHEST-PACK. 

This is a still milder form of the pack than is 
the half-pack, as the wet sheet is applied to a 
smaller portion of the body, being placed around 
the chest, and reaching from the armpits to the 
hips. It is given in the same manner as is the 
full-pack, and is applicable in all diseases of the 
chest or any of its organs. On removing the 


44 


TITE BAT1I. 


wet sheet, the patient should bathe and dry him¬ 
self as directed after the full-pack. 

THE CHEST-WRAPPER. 

The chest-wrapper should be made somewhat 
like a vest, with the exception, however, that 
while it passess around the back, and has arm¬ 
holes, the two ends in front should be sufficiently 
long to allow each to pass entirely across the 
chest, so that the breast shall be covered with two 
thicknesses. The wrapper should be made double 
thickness and of thick, cotton cloth. There should 
be two of these wrappers, one to be worn wet 
next to the flesh, which should extend a little 
below the waist, the other to be worn dry over 
the wet one, reaching to the hips, or two or three 
inches below the wet one, so as to keep all the 
moisture from the clothing. 

The chest-wrapper is useful in all inflammatory 
diseases of the chest, provided the patient is not 
too weak; and in asthma, consumption in its first 
stages, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy, and drop¬ 
sy of the chest. All cases of recent cold in the 
chest are greatly benefited by the use of the 
chest-wrapper. It should be applied on retiring 
in the evening, and may be worn all night and 
removed in the morning; or if the patient is not 
exposed to drafts and cold air, it may be worn 
through the day; in which case it should not be al¬ 
lowed to become dry. It should not be worn 
more than thirty-six hours in succession. After 
wearing it that length of time, it should be laid 
aside for one or two days before again applying 
it, for if worn constantly it will be injurious. 
The best method for most patients to pursue is 


TIIE WET-GIRDLE. 


45 


to wear it only in the night, and remove it on ris¬ 
ing in the morning. After removing it, the parts 
previously covered by it should be bathed with 
cool, or cold, water, and after drying thoroughly 
with a towel, should be well rubbed with the 
dry hand, so as to induce an active circulation in 
the parts. 


THE WET-GIRDLE. 

The wet-girdle sustains the same relation to 
the abdomen and small of the back that the chest- 
wrapper sustains to the chest and shoulders. It 
is made and applied in the following manner: 
Take three or four yards of strong, yet not very 
coarse, toweling; wet enough of this to pass one 
and a third times around the body, and apply it 
in such a manner that the part most affected 
shall receive two thicknesses of the wet portion. 
Then pass the dry portion around the body so as 
to cover all of the wet portion and prevent the 
air from coming in contact with it, as rapid evap¬ 
oration would take place if any portion of the 
wet cloth was left exposed to the atmosphere 
and the patient would chill. 

The wet girdle is very useful in all diseases of 
the abdominal and pelvic organs, and in all cases 
of weakened and relaxed or torpid abdominal 
muscles, and is just adapted to dyspepsia, torpid, 
congested, or inflamed livers, torpid or inflamed 
bowels, constipation, affections of the spleen and 
kidneys, inflammation of the bladder, catarrh of 
the bladder, albuminuria, uterine derangements, 
such as inflamed uterus, dysmenorrhoea, leucor- 
rhcea, and other menstrual disorders, ovarian dif¬ 
ficulties, and abdominal dropsy, in all of which 





46 


TIIE BATH. 


diseases the patient will find the wet-girdle worn 
about the abdomen one of the best remedies. It 
is useful also in the early stages of diarrhea, dys¬ 
entery, cholera morbus, and cholera. 

The wet-girdle may be worn day and night in 
many chronic difficulties; but it should never be 
worn until the skin becomes sore or disorganized. 
It has been worn constantly by some patients for 
weeks at a time, only being removed to be wet 
as often as it became dry; but it always causes 
serious injury, when thus worn, as large portions 
of the skin become disorganized, forming many 
small, or a few large, running sores, which are a 
severe drain upon the patient’s vitality. 

After the wet-girdle has been worn for two or 
three days, it should be laid aside for two or three 
days, after which it may be again applied. It 
should be wet as often as it becomes dry. The 
best way is to wear it nights, removing it each 
morning. There are patients, however, who can¬ 
not wear the girdle nights on account of chilling 
while sleeping. Such persons should leave it off" 
nights and wear it only in the middle of the day. 
It should never be worn when it causes chilliness. 
If the patient finds, after wearing the wet-girdle 
for a time, that the skin is becoming irritable, or 
painful, or if an irruption or a rash makes its ap¬ 
pearance, its use should be discontinued at once. 
Whenever the wet-girdle is removed, the parts 
previously covered by it should be bathed in cool 
water and well dried and rubbed as after other 
baths. The wet-girdle should usually be applied 
warm or tepid, unless there is active inflamma¬ 
tion, in which case it may be applied cool. 



THE WET llEAD-C'AP. 


47 


THE WET-COMPRESS. 

This is simply a towel or some other cloth folded 
three or four times, and wet in water of any tem¬ 
perature, and applied over the affected part, with 
two or three thicknesses of dry cloth to prevent 
the clothing from becoming wet. The wet-com¬ 
press is used as a means of making a local appli¬ 
cation when it is not desirable to administer any 
of the previously mentioned appliances. It is 
useful in any local difficulty, especially diseases 
of the chest and abdomen. 

THE WET HEAD-CAP. 

The wet head-cap consists of two or three 
thicknesses of cotton or linen made into a cap to 
cover the head above the ears. In applying it, 
it should be dipped in tepid, cool, or cold water, 
and may be used in cases of congested brain, pe¬ 
riodical headache, rush of blood to the head, 
inflammation of the brain, and scald head. The 
wet head-cap is useful as a temporary applica¬ 
tion in all the above-named difficulties; but it is 
very hurtful when worn constantly. 

In all the above-named diseases, the special 
remedial process should be the hip-bath and 
foot-bath, with the wet head-cap applied tempo¬ 
rarily. The wet head-cap worn under the hat or 
bonnet during temporary exposure to the sun is 
very beneficial, as the evaporation will tend to 
keep the head cool. In chronic diseases, the 
case is different. The reaction is so great, if the 
cold application is prolonged, that permanent 
congestion is induced, which is exactly the oppo¬ 
site of the condition desired. 


43 


TIIE BATH. 


FOMENTATION. 

This is the application of heat and moisture to 
some part of the body. In applying the fomen¬ 
tation, a flannel cloth should be folded so as to 
be of three or four thicknesses, and sufficiently 
large to cover the parts which it is desirable to 
treat. If the fomentation is to be applied to the 
chest, shoulders, or neck, the folded cloth should 
be about twelve inches square, or twelve by fif¬ 
teen inches. If it is to be applied over the re¬ 
gion of the liver, stomach, or bowels, it should be 
twelve by eighteen inches. After folding this 
cloth, it should be carefully rolled and dipped in 
very hot water, and should then be applied as 
hot as the patient can bear, after being wrung 
quite dry. It is a good plan to leave the ends of 
the roll dry, so that the cloth can be wrung out 
warmer; but if the ends of the cloth become wet 
in the hot water, the attendant can dip his hands 
in cold water several times while wringing it, 
and by so doing can apply it hotter than he 
otherwise could. The hot cloth should be cov¬ 
ered with several thicknesses of dry, so as to 
keep all of the steam in and keep the clothes dry. 
The fomentation should be continued for fifteen to 
thirty minutes, the cloths being reapplied every 
five or ten minutes. The hot fomentation should 
always be followed immediately with the appli¬ 
cation of a cold wet cloth to the part, which 
should be allowed to remain four or five minutes. 
In some cases, it will be best to alternate the hot 
cloth with the cold two or three times, always 
beginning with the hot and ending with the 
cold. As a general thing, hot fomentations 


FOMENTATION. 


49 


should not be continued more than twenty-five 
minutes without alternating with the cold wet 
cloth, except in cases of severe pain, such as pleu¬ 
risy, etc. 

Fomentations are specially adapted to chronic 
congestions of the liver, spleen, stomach, and, in 
fact, to all inflammations attended with much 
pain and little heat, whether chronic or acute. 
It is also well suited to all visceral congestions, 
or rheumatic affections, unattended with fever, 
and to rigid, torpid, or contracted muscles, and 
local pains, aches, cramps, etc., when fever is not 
present. In pneumonia and pleurisy, it is 
thought by some of the best hygienic physicians 
that the hot fomentation should be applied to the 
back and shoulders with cool or cold applications 
in front, over the seat of the pain. Others apply 
the hot cloths immediately over the location of 
the pain, alternating it, after twenty-five or thirty 
minutes, with cold. This method is found to be 
very successful. In case the patient is nervous, 
the prolonged warm fomentation is sometimes 
better than the hot, and may be continued two 
or three hours. 

The following report of a case in my own 
practice will show how effectual fomentations are 
in relieving pain and reducing inflammation. I 
was traveling in Yolo Co., Cal., in the fall of 
1872. In passing the residence of an acquaint¬ 
ance, I was induced to stop for the night. After 
remaining in the house for a short time, my at¬ 
tention was attracted by groans in an adjoining 
room; and in answer to inquiries I learned that 
they came from the hired man, who was very 
sick—so sick that he could not breathe without 


The Bath 






50 


TIIE BATH. 


groaning with pain—and that he had employed 
a drug doctor, who had attended him for a week, 
but that he was growing worse very fast. On 
examination I found that the patient was taking 
five kinds of medicine, and that a fly blister as 
large as a man’s hand had been raised; yet so 
severe was the pleurisy pain that the patient 
was not aware of the blister, and it had been 
nearly a day since it was applied. I applied hot 
fomentations for nearly an hour, alternating with 
cold once or twice in the meantime, at the end of 
which time the patient was so far eased from the 
pain as to sleep well, which he had been unable 
to do for several days and nights previous. In 
the morning he had no pain other than that caused 
by the blister. The doctor had given sweet spir¬ 
its of niter, nitric acid, turpentine, and nine oth¬ 
er drugs and mixtures during the six days he 
had treated him; and, as a result, the patient 
was nearly drugged to death. I treated him liy- 
gienically for six days, at the end of which time 
he was out of danger. 

THE HEAD-BATH. 

This bath may be administered by pouring 
water on the head, or by lying on the back with 
the back or crown of the head in a basin of water. 
The object of this bath is to cool the head more 
effectually than can be done by wet cloths. The 
head-bath should be continued only until the 
head has been sufficiently cooled. It may be ad¬ 
ministered by pouring a stream of water from a 
dipper or pitcher, applying the stream principally 
to the temples and back part and base of the head. 

The water may be tepid to commence with, 






THE ARM-BATH. 


51 


and by the end of the process, which should last 
eight or ten minutes, it will be quite cool. The 
head will usually be greatly relieved. The pour¬ 
ing head-bath is applicable to epilepsy, hysteria, 
delirium tremens, and diseases that are attend¬ 
ed with determination of blood to the head. In 
many cases of threatened fever, the fever may be 
averted by the pouring head-bath of cold water 
applied to the temples and back of head and 
neck, two or three minutes at a time every ten or 
fifteen minutes for two or three hours. In cases 
of brain fever, the head-bath should be applied 
quite hot for five minutes at a time, with cool 
applications for two or three minutes immediately 
following. Brain fever may be treated by hot 
fomentations full as well as by the hot pouring- 
bath. When treated with fomentations, the 
cloths should be kept as hot as the patient can • 
bear, and should be applied to the whole scalp, 
and back and sides of the neck. Cold or cool 
applications should be made after every form of hot 
bath or hot application, so as to cool the parts to 
which heat had been previously applied. The hot 
head-bath or hot fomentations.to the head, neck, 
and spine, foil owed by cold applications to the same 
parts as previously directed, is the proper treat¬ 
ment for cerebro-spinal meningitis, or spotted 
fever. 

THE ARM-BATH, 

This bath is simply the local application of 
water to the arm. It may be taken either by 
holding the arm in water, or by holding it under 
a falling stream of water, or by applying wet 
cloths. Ulcers, chronic swellings, wounds, bruises, 




52 


TIIE BATII. 


sprains, and inflammations of tlie arm are greatly 
benefited by the use of this bath. Sometimes, in 
the case of wounds and bruises, the inflammation 
becomes very intense, the part swelling to more 
than twice its natural size, and becoming intense¬ 
ly hot; such cases can be brought under perfect 
control by the cold arm-bath. No one need fear 
taking cold in an inflamed wound by holding the 
part in cold water; for so long as any inflamma¬ 
tion or preternatural heat remains, just so long 
there is no danger of taking cold by applying 
cold water to the inflamed part. 

THE LEG-BATH. 

t- * 

This bath is useful in treating all chronic 
swellings of the limbs and joints, be they caused 
by gout, rheumatism, or by the use of mercury. 
It is also excellent for old ulcers, bruises, and 
wounds, and for headache and toothache. If 
drugging, bleeding, or blistering is resorted to in 
rheumatic affections, there is great danger of the 
removal of the disease to the membranes of the 
heart, brain, stomach, lungs, and other membranes 
of the body; while there is no danger whatever 
in using water on the parts affected, if proper at¬ 
tention is paid to the general conditions of the 
system by living hygienically. In very painful 
affections of the leg, the warm bath should be ad¬ 
ministered for a few minutes before the cold ap¬ 
plication. 

THE EYE AND EAK-BATH. 

Whenever the eye or ear is affected by any 
inflammatory disease, wet cloths of a tempera- 


THE ELECTRICAL-BATH. 


53 


ture tlie most agreeable should be applied to 
them, or the water may be applied by a gentle 
shower bath, or by pouring, or the eyes may be 
held open in clear, soft water. In severe inflam¬ 
mations of either of these organs, hot fomenta¬ 
tions, alternated with cold applications, will be 
found beneficial. If gatherings form and break 
in the ear, it should be syringed out with tepid 
water. 


THE ITASAL-BATH. 

All cases of catarrh, or inflammation of the mu¬ 
cous membrane of the nose, will receive more or 
less benefit by drawing cool or tepid water into 
the nose. In cases of bleeding at the nose, the 
coldest water should be used, and should also be 
applied to the back of the neck and head. 

THE ELECTRICAL-BATH. 

This is the application of electricity in connec¬ 
tion with some form of bath. This bath is very 
useful in treating the sick, many forms of disease 
yielding to its potent influences that cannot be 
affected by any other form of treatment. The 
electrical-bath can only be safely administered 
by an experienced operator, and therefore cannot 
become very popular in home practice. Most 
health institutions use the electrical-bath, and it 
is found to be especially beneficial in treating 
rheumatism, both acute and chronic, gout, sci¬ 
atica, paralysis, constipation, piles, fevers, tumors, 
dyspepsia, neuralgia, liver complaints, and in 
eliminating mineral poisons from the system. 



54 


THE BATH. 


REFRIGERATIONS. 


Hygienic physicians make use of cold water, 
ice, and various freezing mixtures, as refrigera¬ 
tors. Gold water and ice are used in reducing 
local swellings and inflammations. In the first 
stages of severe inflammation of the throat or any 
of its organs, ice-water or bits of ice held in the 
mouth or gargled in the throat is one of the best 
of remedies. A cold compress should be kept 
upon the throat, and the feet should be placed in 
hot water at the same time. Many suffering with 
croup, diptheiia, quinsy, acute laryngitis, malig¬ 
nant scarlatina, or putrid sore throat, have found 
speedy relief by these applications, who must 
otherwise have died. The best freezing mixture 
is made of equal parts of pounded ice and com¬ 
mon salt, or of two parts of snow and one of salt. 
This should be applied to the part which it is 
desirable to freeze. If ice or snow cannot be ob¬ 
tained, rhigoline applied in the form of fine spray 
will freeze the parts by its rapid evaporation. 

Felons and cancers may be arrested in their 
growth by frequent freezing, and small cancers 
may be destroyed and removed by absorption if 
repeatedly frozen. No serious injury will follow 
these applications of the freezing mixtures if the 
thawing-out process is properly managed. The 
frozen parts should be thawed by applying snow, 
pounded ice, or cloths wet in the coldest water, 
until all pain or smarting has ceased, and the 
part is restored to its natural condition. The 
part should not be bent or pressed while in the 
frozen condition, as that would break the tissues, 
and cause soreness of the part. Refrigerations 



WATER DRINKING. 


55 


are very useful for the purpose of arrestin 
hemorrhage. 

o 


O' 

o 


In applying ice or ice-water to the spine, it is 
best to use long, narrow, rubber bags. They 
should be from two to three inches wide, and 
from fourteen to twenty inches long. These 
may be filled with ice-water or pounded ice, and 
then applied to the back along either side of the 
spine. Cold applied to the spine in this manner 
will often bring a person safely out of a conges¬ 
tive chill when everything else fails. These 
cold applications to the spine are very beneficial 
in treating inflammation of the brain, convulsions, 
epilepsy, paralysis, inflammation of the stomach, 
kidneys, and uterus, diarrhea, and dysentery. 


WATER DUIUKING. 

Soft water is by far the most preferable drink 
that a human being can use. As a general rule, 
the sense of thirst should be the guide both in 
sickness and health as to time of drinking and 
amount to be taken. If, however, the person is 
very thirsty, he should drink very slowly; or if 
he is very warm from exercise or artificial heat, 
he should not only drink very slowly, but should 
also drink very moderately. Ice-water, if drunk, 
should be taken very cautiously. Many persons 
induce serious diseases by drinking large quanti¬ 
ties of ice-water when very warm from exercise. 
Drinks of all kinds should bo abstained from at 
meals. Water drinking at proper times and in 
proper quantities subdues morbid cravings, cools 
the heat of fever, relieves internal congestions, 
allays inflammation, and aids in purifying the 
blood and in regulating the circulation. In all 



56 


THE BATH. 


inflammatory and febrile diseases, cool water may 
be taken until the patient is satisfied. If the 
patient is strong and lias a high fever, he may 
drink freely of cold water; but if weak, with low 
circulation, the water should not be cold, and 
should be taken in very small quantities at a 
time, yet it may be taken very often. If the 
patient is too weak to rise to drink, he should 
suck the water through a straw or something 
similar. If the lips and tongue are cracked, as 
is often the case in typhoid fever, a wet cloth 
should be constantly applied to them. 

WATER EMETICS. 

There is no necessity for taking any animal, 
vegetable, or mineral poison for the purpose of 
relieving the stomach of any morbid or injurious 
matter that it may contain. A far better way 
to accomplish this result is to drink copiously 
of warm water, filling the stomach unless vom¬ 
iting is sooner induced. After drinking all the 
water the stomach will hold, tickle the throat 
with a feather or the finger, and vomiting will be 
speedily induced. In this manner the stomach 
may be freed of its contents without that retch¬ 
ing, straining, and cramping which usually oc¬ 
cur in connection with vomiting induced by 
drugs. 


CLYSTERS OR ENEMAS. 

Cathartics and purging poisons of all kinds 
should be religiously abstained from, for they are 
not only wholly unnecessary, but they are also 
positively injurious. Clysters or enemas of warm 


THE HOT-AIR BATH. 


57 


water are just as efficient in cleansing the bowels 
ot fecal accumulations, and not only so, but it 
can be done much quicker with clysters than 
with drugs and medicines in the form of powders 
and pills, and without any of the pain which ac¬ 
companies the violent purging produced by drugs. 
To free the bowels of obstructions, inject into 
them as much tepid water as they can receive. 
This is best done with a rubber syringe.* Small 
quantities of cold water should be injected into 
them and retained, in cases of excessive hem¬ 
orrhage of the bowels. In the stage of collapse, 
when the surface becomes cold, as is often the 
case in cholera, copious injections of water as 
warm as the patient can bear should be adminis¬ 
tered. 


THE HOT-AIR BATH. 

This is simply the application of dry heat to 
the surface of the body by means of hot air. It 
is very useful when it is desired to sweat the pa¬ 
tient. This bath is very easily administered. 
The patient is seated in a chair with a large, 
thick sheet or blanket thrown around him, so as 
to completely envelop both him and the chair on 
which he sits, with the exception of his head. 
The blanket must fit closely about his neck, and 
must lie close to the floor, so as to retain all the 
heat. After wetting the patient’s head with cold 
water a cold, wet cloth should be applied to it. 
A lighted spirit lamp, carefully guarded, should 
now be placed under the sheet. A cup of burn- 

*The Fountain Syringe is the best. It is for sale at the office 
of the Health Reformer, Battle Creek, Michigan. Price by 
mail, post-paid, three dollars. 




58 


THE BATH. 


ing alcohol set in a basin of water, and placed 
between his feet or under the chair, which should 
have a wooden seat, is the safest method. In a 
few moments sufficient heat is generated to cause 
a profuse perspiration. 

On leaving the hot-air bath the patient should 
take a cool sponge-bath, or some other light, cool 
bath, and wipe dry, rubbing himself well with 
the naked hand. This bath can be administered 
to feeble persons in their bed by having a light 
frame-work of hoops to elevate the bed-clothes. 
The hot-air bath is indicated in bilious and drop¬ 
sical affections, also in all cases of plethora, obes¬ 
ity, and grossness. It is very useful also in re¬ 
moving a recent cold by inducing an active and 
increased superficial circulation, which at once 
relieves the congested organ. 

THE VAPOR-BATH. 

A very good steam-hatli can be taken in a 
cane-seat chair, with blankets arranged as di¬ 
rected for taking the hot-air bath. After the pa¬ 
tient is properly arranged in his chair, a pan of 
hot water should be placed under the chair, into 
which hot bricks, irons, or stones, should be placed 
from time to time. These will cause the imme¬ 
diate generation of a large amount of steam. 

Another very good way is to have a piece of 
rubber or tin tubing, one end of which fits the 
spout of the tea-kettle, which should contain boil¬ 
ing water. The other end of the tubing should 
be placed under the blanket with which the pa¬ 
tient is enveloped. The vapor-bath is applicable 
in all cases to which the hot-air bath is adapted; 
viz., in all cases, when the patient is not much 


THE SUN-BATH. 59 

weakened, in which it is desired to remove ob¬ 
structions, grossness, or dropsical accumulations, 
or to promote absorption of adipose matter, or to 
remove a recent cold. This is a most excellent 
bath for rheumatic affections. Like all other hot 
baths, the vapor-bath should be immediately fol¬ 
lowed by some form of cool bath, after which the 
dry rubbing-sheet and dry-hand rubbing should 
be applied. 

COOL-AIR BATH. 

The cool-air bath is useful to allay nervousness, 
and to induce sleep. If after retiring for the 
night a person is restless and nervous, and cannot 
sleep, he should rise and take a cool sponge-bath ; 
if it cannot be conveniently done, he should throw 
open the bed to air, then remove his night gar¬ 
ments and walk his room for a few minutes, rub¬ 
bing himself gently at the same time. This he 
may continue for three to fifteen minutes, accord¬ 
ing to the temperature of the air, being careful 
to avoid chilling. He should then resume his 
night clothes and return to his bed, and in nine 
cases out of ten he will drop immediately to 
sleep; and, if undisturbed, will sleep several 
hours. 


THE SUN-BATH. 

The sun is the great source of life to both the 
vegetable and animal kingdoms. In fact, all the 
forces of which we have any knowledge, origin¬ 
ate in the sun. Without its influence, no plant 
or animal could long survive. One of the chief 
reasons why women and children are more feeble 
and sickly than men is because they are less in the 




60 


THE BATH. 


sunshine than are the men. If the nude surface 
of every human being were exposed daily to the 
rays of the sun for thirty minutes, the result 
would be that the race would in a few years be¬ 
come possessed of twice the constitutional power 
and vigor they now have. All would be hardier, 
and many who are now invalids would soon be¬ 
come strong and healthy. Health institutes usu¬ 
ally have rooms for sun-baths arranged so that 
the rays of the sun fall through a window in the 
roof of the room so as to strike the naked body 
of the patient as he reclines on a cot. The sun’s 
rays should not fall on the patient’s head, and 
the room should be well ventilated, although a 
draft of air should not be allowed to strike the 
patient. The patient should rub his body well 
with the dry hand while taking the bath. The 
sun-bath may be limited to five minutes, or it 
may be prolonged to thirty or forty minutes; all 
depends upon the strength and conditions of the 
patient. He should not become fatigued nor 
chilly, nor should he perspire much unless he is 
dropsical or gross, in either of which cases sweat¬ 
ing would be beneficial. The sun-bath is adapt¬ 
ed to scrofulous cases, torpidity of the skin, weak 
and flaccid muscles, chlorosis, amenorrhea, defi¬ 
cient superficial circulation, dyspepsia, defective 
circulation, and consumption. Chronic patients 
who have always lived in-doors should, if possi¬ 
ble, take sun-baths daily, no matter what their 
ailment. 

HAND-RUBBING. 

Hand-rubbings have been often spoken of in 
the preceding pages. They consist of a brisk 
rubbing of all parts of the body with the dry 


MOVEMENTS. 


GL 


hand. A soft flesh-brush, towel, or sponge, is fre¬ 
quently used, but the bare hand is better. The 
patient, if able, should stand while the attendant 
vigorously rubs the entire surface of the body un¬ 
til the skin is flushed and the surface thoroughly 
warm. Feeble patients may be rubbed ten or 
fifteen minutes while lying in bed, the hand be¬ 
ing introduced under the bed clothing if there is 
danger of the patient being chilled by the remov¬ 
al of the clothing. The dry-hand rub is well 
adapted to patients who are bedridden, or are ex¬ 
tremely emaciated, or who are too feeble to en¬ 
dure the exercise required in taking a water bath. 
Vigorous hand-rubbings promote the superficial 
circulation, while gentle, light rubbings, soothe 
the nerves and quiet the patient if he is restless. 

MOVEMENTS. 

Without exercise, there can be no health. 
Many invalids are made such for want of proper 
exercise; and especially is this the case with ma¬ 
ny of the invalid wives and daughters of the 
wealthy. Brought up to the belief that labor is 
a disgrace, they spend much of their time over 
the yellow-covered literature of the day, and do 
not take sufficient exercise to keep healthy. 

Movements are beneficial to all patients who 
have become diseased through lack of exercise. 
There are three classes of movements adapted to 
the requirements of patients : 1. The active, or 
those which are executed by the patient; 2. The 
passive, or those which are executed by an as¬ 
sistant or operator; 3. The combined, or those 
in which both the patient and the operator are 
active. They are local or general according as 


G2 


THE BATII. 


they are applied to a part, or the whole, of the 
body. 

Movements, or exercise, increase and regulate 
the circulation, improve digestion, and tone up 
the entire system. They strengthen the weak 
muscles, restore paralyzed limbs, overcome de¬ 
formity and contraction of the muscles. So uni¬ 
versal is the acknowledgment of the fact that 
movements are a powerful hygienic and remedial 
ao-ent, that lar^e cures have been established in 
several countries, where invalids are successfully 
treated and cured by this agency alone. In Swe¬ 
den there are four such institutions ; and as it 
was in Sweden that this system of treating the 
sick originated, it has received the name of the 
Swedish Movement Cure. 

Patients who are too feeble to take active ex¬ 
ercise, require passive or combined movements. 
In giving the movements, the operator should en¬ 
deavor to bring into action all the voluntary 
muscles. This may be none by imitating the 
various natural movements of the limbs and the 
body, in which case the patient should offer 
slight resistance to the efforts of the operator; or 
the operator may knead the flesh, and roll it gen¬ 
tly under the hand, or percuss it gently with 
either the flat or edge of the hand. 

There is, however, no exercise so promotive of 
health as out-door work. All other movements 
should be considered as inferior, and only to be 
tolerated until the patient is able to take exer¬ 
cise in the open air, at some kind of labor. The 
reason why labor is so much more conducive to 
health than is any other kind of exercise, is be¬ 
cause the mind has an object before it, and is 
consequently occupied. 


GENERAL RULES FOR NURSING TIIE SICK. 63 


GENERAL RULES FOR NURSING THE SICK. 

1. Begin in season. Do not let a sick person 
work, or go uncared for until he is compelled to 
take to his bed, before beginning to care for him. 

2. As soon as a person begins to feel unwell, 
ascertain, if possible, what the cause is and re¬ 
move it. This may be all that is required. 

3. In most cases of acute disease, at the very 
first appearance of the disease, a tepid or warm 
bath will be beneficial by unclogging the skin 
and causing a slight determination of blood to 
the surface, thereby relieving any congestion of 
the internal organs. A tepid enema will also af¬ 
ford, usually, relief by removing obstructions 
from the bowels; and a warm water emetic will 
relieve the stomach of any unusable matters it 
may contain, thereby removing nausea. Fasting 
for one or two meals will do more to promote 
depuration than anything taken internally can 
do; and the rest and quiet thus obtained will 
often be all that the patient needs to enable him 
to regain health. 

4. Preternatural heat can be reduced by ap¬ 
plying either cold, cool, or tepid water, or wet 
cloths; and warmth can be induced by hot cloths, 
hot bricks, or by bottles or jugs of hot water, etc. 

5. Always enjoin perfect quiet in the sick 
chamber, and let the patient sleep all he will. 

G. Never allow any but the nurse to see or 
converse with patients who are very low. Hence, 
require all visitors to keep away. Many a life 
has been sacrified by not observing this precau¬ 
tion. 



64 


THE BATH. 


7. Never urge a fever patient to eat. 

8. Keep the sick room well ventilated, day 
and night, but do not allow a current of air to 
strike the patient. 

9. Never put a sick person into a small, close 
room. Give him the best room in the house. 

10. Never whisper within the hearing of the 
sick, for if you do, they will be very apt to think 
that you are talking about them, and will become 
anxious. 

11. Never indulge in sad or melancholy conver¬ 
sation with, or in the presence of, the sick. Al¬ 
ways appear cheerful yourself, and endeavor to 
keep them cheerful. 

12. Never allow any fecal or urinary matter, 
nor any other foul substance, to remain in the 
room with the sick for a moment. 

13. Change or air the patient’s clothes and bed¬ 
ding, daily. 

14. Always keep the bowels free, the feet 
warm, the head cool, and the entire surface of the 
body as near the temperature of healthy persons 
as possible. 

15. As soon as they are able to walk about, pa¬ 
tients should be encouraged to take exercise in 
the open air. 

16. Always see that the patient’s limbs are clad 
as warmly as the body, that the shoes are loose, 
that the garments are loose about the waist, and 
that corsets, stays, chignons, and all other in¬ 
jurious fashionable appendages are laid aside. 

17. Never give very cold nor prolonged treat¬ 
ment to very weak or nervous patients. 


HEALTH IS HAPPINESS! 

w* read, and bead in mind .-m 

BOOKS! REFORMER ! INSTITUTE! 


The Hygienic Family Physician. 

As the title suggests, this work is especially designed 
for family use. The style in which it is written is 
such as to render it perfectly intelligible to all classes, 
as it is quite free from technical terms and phrases which 
are of such frequent occurrence in nearly all books of 
this kind which have previously appeared as to render 
them more or less objectionable. It is, nevertheless, u a 
complete guide for the preservation of health and the 
treatment of disease without the use of medicine.” 

The w r ork is written in four parts. The subjects treated 
are, in Part I., Health and Hygienic Agents ; Part II., 
Disease and Drugs ; Part III., the Bath; Part IV., Dis¬ 
eases and their Treatment. A more minute description 
of each part is found below. This work is of a thor¬ 
oughly practical nature, and should be in the hands of 
every family in the land, as it affords instruction of the 
most vital importance. Directions for the treatment of 
disease are so plain and minute that any person of ordinary 
intelligence with its assistance may successfully treat nine- 
tenths of all the cases of disease which occur in any 


o 


OUR BOOK LIST. 


neighborhood. The publishers have placed the price so 
low that the book may be obtained by any one who feels 
at all in need of such a work. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Cloth, bound, 
380 pp. Price, post-paid, $1.00. 


The following four pamphlets contain the larger portion 
of the bound work just noticed. They severally corre¬ 
spond with the four parts of the bound volume. 

Good Health, and How to Preserve It. 

In this pamphlet is given a brief treatise on the various 
hygienic agents and conditions which are essential for the 
preservation of health. Just the thing for a person who 
wishes to learn how to avoid disease. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 10 cents. 

Nature and Cause of Disease, and So-called 
“Action” of Drugs. 

This work is a clear and comprehensive exposition 
of the nature and true cause of disease, and also ex¬ 
poses the absurdity and falsity of drug medication. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 15 cents. 

The Bath: Its Use and Application. 

This very valuable work contains a full description 
of the various baths employed in the hygienic treat¬ 
ment of disease, together with the manner of apply- 



OUIl BOOK LIST. 


3 


ing them, and the diseases to which they are severally 
adapted. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 20 cents. 

The Treatment of Disease. 

In this most important work may be found an 
accurate description of the symptoms and proper treat¬ 
ment of more than one hundred diseases, comprising 
all of those which are susceptible of ordinary home treat¬ 
ment. It is an invaluable work for all who are not pro¬ 
fessionally educated in the theory and practice of medi¬ 
cine. The only remedies recommended are of course 
strictly hygienic in their nature, drugs of every descrip¬ 
tion being entirely discarded as curative agents. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 35 cents. 

-- 

The Hygienic System. 

By R. T. Trall, M. D. 

This important work treats upon the Principles of Hy¬ 
gienic Medication—Hygeio-Therapy—The Essential Na¬ 
ture of Disease—The Modus Operandi of Medicine—The 
Relations of Remedies to Diseases—The Relations of 
Remedies to the Healthy Organs—The Doctrine of Vi¬ 
tality—The Law of Cure—The Problems of Medical 
Science. It should be read by the million. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 15 cents. 






4 


OUR BOOK LIST. 


Health and Diseases of Woman. 

By It. T. Trall, M. D. 

This work treats upon Woman and the Medical Pro¬ 
fession—Opium—Alcohol—Tobacco — Drugs— The Pace 
Imperiled—Responsibilities of Parents—American Moth¬ 
ers—Woman’s Disadvantages—The Medical Profession 
vs. Woman—Origin of Many Infirmities—Dress and Res¬ 
piration—Dress and the Sexual Functions—Should Fash¬ 
ionable Women Marry ?—Drugging at Puberty—Scien¬ 
tific Druggery—Scanzoni vs. Churchill—Dr. Prescott on 
Druggery—Drugging in Acute Diseases—Prof. Gilman 
on Puerperal Fever—Drugging During Pregnancy—Drug¬ 
ging During the Lying-in Period—Chronic Drug Disease 
—the Better Way—Tobacco vs. Woman. 

It should be in every family, and be read by every 
woman and every girl in the land. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 15 cents. 


Tobacco-Using. 

By R. T. Trall, M. D. 

This is a Philosophical Exposition of the Effects of To¬ 
bacco on the Human System. Published at the Health 
Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 15 cents. 

-- 

Science of Human Life. 

This is a pamphlet of great value, containing three of 
the most important of Graham’s Lectures on the Science 
of Human Life. It is published for the benefit of those 
who may not feel able to purchase the entire work, and 
contains most of that work which is of practical value 
to the reading public. 










OUR BOOK LIST. 


5 


Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 35 cents. 

— - - 

Hand Book of Health. 

This work treats upon Physiology and Hygiene. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, bound in cloth, 60 cents ; in paper cover, 35 cents. 

— - ♦<>« - 

\ v. 

Cook Book, or Kitchen Guide. 

This work comprises recipes for the preparation of 
hygienic food, directions for canning fruit, &c., together 
with advice relative to change of diet. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, 20 cents. 

- •<>«- 

EXHAUSTED VITALITY; 

Or, a Solemn Appeal Relative to Solitary Vice, and the 
Abuses and Excesses of the Marriage Relation. We do 
not hesitate to say that this is the best 'work of the kind 
now in print in our country. It is gathered chiefly from 
the writings of the ablest and best writers upon the sub¬ 
ject. Of this subject, and this work, the compiler in his 
preface says :— 

“It is disagreeable to call attention to those sins of 
youth, and the abuses and excesses, even in the married 
life, which are ruining the souls and bodies of tens of thou¬ 
sands ; especially so, while feelings of great delicacy, rel¬ 
ative to the subject, exist in the public mind. But dis¬ 
agreeable though the task may be, facts, terrible facts of 
every-day observation, fully justify a solemn and faithful 
warning to all. We would cherish the profoundest re¬ 
spect for the delicate feelings of the truly modest and 
the really virtuous ; but we confess our want of respect 
for that false delicacy in many which takes fright at the 










G 


OUlt BOOK LIST. 


mention of those vices, in consequence of which, they 
themselves exhibit evident marks of rapid decay. 

“ The reader may as well prepare at the first, by laying 
aside feelings of false delicacy, if he is troubled with them, 
to be benefited by the painful facts, plainly stated in this 
work. The real value of the lengthy article on 

“ CHASTITY ” 

Cannot be estimated by dollars and cents. Every youth 
in the land should read it. And not only the youth, but 
every parent and guardian, should study it well, and be 
prepared in a proper way to warn those children under 
their immediate care. And let every mother be stirred 
by the article under the caption of 

“APPEAL TO MOTHERS.” 

It comes from a mother’s heart—from one who has had 
experience in laboring for the unfortunate victims of se¬ 
cret vice, and is imbued with the importance of the sub¬ 
ject. The extracts entitled 

“EVILS AND REMEDY,” 

Although unvailing many dark pictures, are entitled to 
consideration as the utterances of one whose extensive 
study of human nature has qualified him to speak to the 
point on this important subject.” 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, bound in cloth, 60 cents ; in paper cover, 30 cents. 

-—- 

THREE-CENT TRACTS. 

The following tracts are offered, post-paid, for three 
cents each, or two dollars per hundred. This list of 
tracts will be greatly increased. 

Dyspepsia : Its Causes, Prevention, and Cure. 

The Dress Reform: Containing reasons for the most 
Healthful, most Modest, and most Convenient Style of 
Woman’s Dress. 

The Principles of Health Reform: Important to 
those whose minds should be called to first principles. 




THE HEALTH REFORMER. 


This is a monthly journal devoted to physical, mental, 
and moral culture. 


ITS MISSION. 

As indicated in the prospectus, its mission is to con¬ 
tribute to the improvement of mankind physically, men¬ 
tally, and morally. Of the necessity for reform in these 
particulars, we need not speak ; for the alarming evi¬ 
dences of physical degeneracy and disease, mental ineffi¬ 
ciency, and moral turpitude, which we see about us on 
every hand, speak more loudly than can words of the cry¬ 
ing need of immediate and thorough reformation. 

Progression is the spirit of the times. Social reform, 
prison reform, civil service reform, and various other re¬ 
forms, each in its turn, calls for the careful and candid 
consideration and hearty co-operation of every intelligent 
man and woman. And very just and appropriate is this 
demand; for nothing can be more promotive of the in¬ 
terests of society than improvement—progression— re¬ 
form. Without this, stagnation would result, and civili¬ 
zation would soon degenerate into the veriest barbarism. 
Its value, then, cannot be overestimated; and every truly 
reformatory movement should receive our most serious 
and attentive consideration. 

As its name would suggest, the Health Reformer 



8 THE HEALTH REFORMER. 

is published in the interest of a reformation which has a 
special hearing upon health; health—physical, mental, 
and moral. Perfect physical development, clear mental 
faculties, and acute moral sensibilities, constitute the per¬ 
fection of manhood or womanhood. Can there be anv- 

«/ 

thing more important, then, than a reform which aims to 
secure these three conditions, which, when attained, will 
place a person in that state of perfection which will en¬ 
able him to realize the highest degree of enjoyment pos¬ 
sible for man to experience? May we not justly claim 
that, while the reforms which have been mentioned are 
of great moment and absorbing interest, they are all 
eclipsed by the far greater importance of this reform 
which deals with those principles which underlie the 
whole superstructure of moral and social life, and which 
strike at the very root of all the evils which curse society, 
and rest like a mighty incubus upon the world ? 

PLAN OF ACTION. 

In order to accomplish the desired object, which has 
already been set forth, the conductors of the Reformer 
have adopted this as a fundamental principle of action: 
Physical reform is the basis of all reform. The truth 
of this principle is evident when we consider, 

1. The intimate relation of mind and matter, and the 
wonderful manner in which the mind is affected by the 
varying conditions of the body; so that whenever the 
body suffers from serious injury of any kind, the mind 
is correspondingly impaired, as is seen in the fever 
patient raving in the wildness of delirium. 


THE HEALTH REFORMER. 


9 


2. The fact that the condition of a person’s moral or¬ 
gans depends so largely upon that of the body and mind ; 
as is illustrated by the victim of despair who labors under 
the impression that his doom is sealed, when his only 
difficulty is a torpid liver; or the irritable, misanthropic 
dyspeptic, whose unhappy mental condition is wholly due 
to a disordered stomach. 

In view of these facts, it appears that the most im¬ 
portant branch of the work of the Reformer is in the 
direction of physical improvement and reform, since 
the success of each of the other branches is contingent 
upon the success of this. 

But while constantly aiming at reform, and so con¬ 
tending against adverse and opposing influences, the con¬ 
ductors of the Reformer are careful to avoid those ex¬ 
tremes into which so many reformers allow themselves, 
unwittingly, perhaps, to be led. They also ever seek to 
manifest that liberality of sentiment which is in harmony 
with the spirit of the present time, when every man is 
expected and urged to think and form opinions for him¬ 
self. By so doing, they hope to incite a spirit of investi¬ 
gation, which, when pursued with candor and an unbiased 
judgment, can hardly fail to convince the reader of the 
truth of the positions taken. 

Those who conduct the Reformer endeavor to fill 
its columns with matter of practical importance and inter¬ 
est to every subscriber. Thorough instruction is given 
in regard to these two most important subjects, 


10 


THE HEALTH REFORMER. 


HOW TO RECOVER HEALTH, AND HOW 
TO RETAIN IT, 

These subjects being treated by those whose personal ex¬ 
perience enables them to speak understanding^. In fact, 
we put forth every effort to make the Reformer indis¬ 
pensable to every household , and of especial interest to 
that exceedingly large and unfortunate class of individ¬ 
uals who have been brought into the condition of inva¬ 
lids by disease. Rut the subject of health, proper, by 
no means receives exclusive attention. Considerable 
space is each month devoted to general literature, impor¬ 
tant and interesting discoveries in the arts and sciences, 
and such other subjects as are of general interest. 

PRESENT PROSPECTS. 

Notwithstanding the numerous and almost insurmount¬ 
able obstacles with which it has been obliged to contend, 
the Reformer has made constant and rapid progress in 
extending its sphere of usefulness, until it is now estab¬ 
lished upon a firm and satisfactory basis, being furnished 
with an able corps of contributors, numbering its patrons 
by thousands throughout the United States and Terri¬ 
tories. 

The publishers of this journal are actuated by purely 
philanthropic motives, and hence offer it at such terms 
as will enable every person to obtain it who has any de¬ 
gree of interest in the important subjects, How to GET 
WELL and now to KEEP WELL. Terms, $1.00 a 
year, in advance. Specimen copies sent free on application. 
Address, Health Reformer, Battle Creel:. Mich. 


THE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


LOCATION. 

This model health institution is situated in the most 
healthful and delightful part of the proverbially neat and 
enterprising city of Battle Creek, Michigan, an impor¬ 
tant station on the Michigan Central R. R., about half 
way between Chicago and Detroit. Several railroads 
intersect at this point, making it easy of access from all 
directions. 

X 

GROUNDS. 

The grounds are ample, consisting of a site of about 
twenty acres, a large portion of which is covered with 
shade, ornamental, and fruit trees. They are also high, 
overlooking the entire city, and affording a fine view of 
the landscape for miles around. 

The soil is of such a nature that mud is almost en¬ 
tirely unknown, a few hours of sunshine after a rain 
rendering the walks and roads in and about the grounds 
so free from dampness that the most delicate invalid may 
indulge freely in the benefits of out-of-door life and ex¬ 
ercise. 

In front of the main building, and between it and the 
road, is a beautiful grove, which extends along the street 
in each direction from it, some thirty rods, affording a 



12 


THE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


delightful place of resort during the summer months. 
The grove is also provided with such means of exercise 
and recreation as are both healthful and entertaining ; as 
croquet grounds, conveniences for gymnastic exercises, 
etc. 

BUILDINGS. 

These comprise a large main building, and seven fine 
cottages, all situated upon the same site. The main 
building contains commodious parlors, dining halls, bath 
and movement rooms, etc., etc., while the other buildings 
are fitted up as private apartments for patients. By this 
means are secured that quiet and retirement which are of 
such paramount importance to the invalid, and which 
cannot be obtained in an institution where scores of suf¬ 
fering individuals are crowded together under one roof. 

BOOMS 

Are large and well ventilated, and are furnished much 
better than in any other institution of the kind, thus af¬ 
fording the patient all the luxuries and comforts which 
he enjoys at home, and many more. 

PLAN OF TREATMENT. 

At this institution diseases are treated on strictly hy¬ 
gienic principles; that is, only those remedies are em¬ 
ployed which will assist nature in her healing work, and 
will in no way endanger the life or constitution of the 
patient. Drugs and poisons of every description are en¬ 
tirely discarded as curative agents ; but all known means 


THE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


13 


of restoring health are constantly employed, poisons alone 
being excluded from our materia medica. 

OUR REMEDIES 

Then are Light, Water, Air, Electricity, Exercise, Cheer¬ 
fulness, Rest, Sleep, Proper Clothing, Proper Pood, and, 
in fact, all Hygienic and Sanitary Agents. 

OUR PHYSICIANS. 

The medical faculty of the institution is composed of 
an adequate number of conscientious, watchful and effi¬ 
cient physicians, who give personal and unremitting care 
and attention to their patients, anticipating, as far as pos¬ 
sible, their wants, carefully studying their cases, and ap¬ 
plying every means in their power to restore them to 
health. 


OUR FACILITIES. 

Very few institutions arc provided with conveniences 
and advantages equal to ours. Our bath rooms are both 
capacious and convenient, and are furnished with an in¬ 
exhaustible supply of pure, soft water. Several rooms 
are also prepared especially for the administration of the 
Sun-Bath. 

SPECIAL ADVANTAGES. 

In addition to the appliances usually employed in such 
institutions, we make use of the Hot-Air Bath (which 
possesses all the virtues of the Turkish-Bath, while avoid- 


14 


TIIE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


ing its evils), the much-renowned Electric or Electro- 
Thermal-Bath, the Lift Cure, and the celebrated Swed¬ 
ish Movement Cure, which are so successful in many 
cases which cannot be reached by other means. 

DIET. 

While we reject from our dietary those pernicious 
drinks and condiments which are the potent agents in 
bringing thousanis to untimely graves, we take care to 
supply our table with an abundance of nutritious and 
palatable food, consisting of fruits, grains, and vegetables. 
We do not enforce, however, a radical and immediate 
change from old habits, but give the patient time to ac¬ 
commodate himself to the new diet. 

OUR SUCCESS. 

The class of individuals who seek aid at our institution 
is very largely composed of those who are afflicted with 
chronic diseases, and who have been drugged and poi¬ 
soned until their vitality has become well-nigh exhausted, 
and they are given up by their friends and medical ad¬ 
visers to die. Under these circumstances, they come to 
us as a final resort, and, thanks to a true and potent 
system of treatment, this last hope is seldom disappoint¬ 
ed. Among the hundreds who have thus come to us and 
found relief from their ills and pains, during the eight 
years since the establishment of this institution, the fol¬ 
lowing cases, here briefly reported, have been treated 
within the last few months :— 


THE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


15 


CONSUMPTION. 

Many cases might be cited, and references given, iii 
which this most insidious and hopeless of all diseases has 
been robbed of its victims and a new lease of life given 
them by a few months’ stay with us. 

DYSPEPSIA. 

Hundreds have come to us afflicted with this most de¬ 
plorable disease 4n its most aggravated forms, and, after 
staying a proper time, have returned to their friends re¬ 
lieved of their sufferings. 

PARALYSIS. 

Even this formidable disease is, in many cases, treated 
with entire success, the use of paralyzed organs being 
wholly restored. 

DROPSY. 

In one case, the patient came to the Institute after 
having been given up to die by friends and physicians. 
He had been tapped many times, as the accumulation of 
fluid was so rapid that respiration was rendered ex¬ 
tremely difficult in a few days. Cured in a few months, 
and reports himself still in good health. 

SCROFULA. 

Many cases of scrofula, often complicated with dys¬ 
pepsia, affections of the lungs, etc., have been treated 
with marked success. In one case, the patient had sev- 


16 


THE HEALTH INSTITUTE. 


eral large tumors, one nearly as large as an ordinary 
bowl. After a few weeks’ treatment, nature began the 
curative work of absorption, thus effecting a cure. This 
case had been considered entirely hopeless. 

But space will not allow further description of the 
desperate cases which have received treatment and resto¬ 
ration at this institution; but we may add that equally 
good success has attended the treatment of Asthma, 
Kidney Difficulties (of the worst forms), Chronic Diar¬ 
rhea, Chronic Congestion of the Brain, Cancer, Palpita¬ 
tion of the Heart, Rheumatism, Neuralgia, Epilepsy, 
Bronchitis, Piles, Ulceration of Bowels, Catarrh of Blad¬ 
der and Bowels, Constipation (in some cases without a 
natural passage for many years), Spermatorrhea, and, in 
fact, Chronic Diseases of all kinds. 

The most flattering success has attended the treatment 
of Uterine Difficulties, and all other Diseases of Women, 
which receive special attention. 

ACUTE DISEASES. 

Our limde of treatment is specially adapted to this 
class of diseases, meeting with the most uniform success 
with Fevers and Inflammations of every type and form, 
all Eruptive Diseases, etc., etc. 

To the sick, we say, Do not delay seeking our assist¬ 
ance until your case is hopeless. Write at once for our 
Circular, which will be sent free on application. 

Address, HEALTH INSTITUTE, 

Battle Creel:, Mich. 


THE BATH 


TS 


Use and 


Application. 


— BY — 


M. G. KELLOGG, M. D. 


PUBLISHED AT 

THE OFFICE OF THE HEALTH REFORMER, 
BATTLE CREEK, MICH. 


1874 , 









THE FOUNTAIN SYRINGE. 

In offering this Syringe to the public, we feel assured that 
it must rapidly take the place of all other kinds, as all who 
have tried it agree in saying that no other Syringe should be 

The Fountain Syr¬ 
inge is simple in its 
construction and op¬ 
eration, so that fee¬ 
ble persons can use 
it without assistance, 
being entirely self¬ 
acting by the weight of 
the liquid used. The 
Fountain must be 
suspended three or 
four feet above the 
point of application. 
The force thus ob - 
tained is found a- 
bund^ntly sufficient 
for v ry purpose, & nee I by reli¬ 
able authority the only a. *c <* system 

should be subjected. r<r ' 

One will last a lifetime, requiring no repairs, as there 
ai ao valves, nor anything that can possibly get c of or- 
de.consequently they are always ready for use. 

The Fountain Svringc' tnnot poss ; bly v ject *•—which 
is the cause of on t s Tering from the se ill other 
kinds, and t mt no other Syringe l 'Oulu be used. 

It is n, only x pc "feet enema-givihg -ument. of itself, 
but by glancing at 0 ne cut i* nil be pe ved that it is a 
combination of w ch no other yringe is oable. No. 1 is 
a Sprinkler for a light shower-bath, -. lo uos, floors, plants, 
etc., etc. No. 2 is a Nasal I' ■ ' * n J. 'dene is worth 

the entire price of the article. • *, r iCx children and the 

ear. No. 4 is for the Rectum. Ko. 6, the Vaginal. 

Manufactured and for sale by Fairbanks & Co«, No. 121 
Court Street, Boston , Mass. 

£@“We offer the Fountain Syringe, post-paid, at manu¬ 
facturers’ prices, as follows: No. 1, $2.50; No. 2, $3.00- 
No. 3, $3.50. 

Address, HFALTH REFORMER, 

Battle Creek , Mich. 









































OUR BOOK LIST. 


The Hygienic Family Physician. As the title suggests, this 
work is especially designed for family use. The hook is of a 
thoroughly practical nature, and should be in the hands of 
every family in the land, as it affords instruction of the most 
vital importance It is “ a complete guide for the preserva¬ 
tion of health aud the treatment of disease without the use 
of medicine.” 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Cloth, bound, 
380 pp. Price, post-paid, $1.00. 

Good Health, and How to Preserve It. A brief treatise on the 
various hygienic agents and conditions which are essential 
for the preservation of health. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 
10 cents. 

Nature and Cause of Disease. This is a clear and compre¬ 
hensive exposition of the nature and true cause of disease, 
and also exposes the absurdity and falsity of drug medication. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 
15 cents. 

The Path. Contains a full description of the various baths 
employed in the hygienic treatment of disease, and the man¬ 
ner of applying them. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 
20 cents. 

The Treatment of Disease. For all who are not educated in 
the theory and practice of medicine. The only remedies rec¬ 
ommended are strictly hygienic. 

Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 
35 cents. 

The Hygienic System. By R. T. Trail, M. D. Published at 
the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 15 cents. 

Tobacco-Using. By R. T. Trail, M. D. Published at the 
Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 15 cents. 







Our Book List,—Continued. 


Health and Diseases of Woman. By R. T. Trail, M. D. 
Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 
15 cents. 

Science of Human Life. This pamphlet contains three of 
the most important of Graham’s Lectures. Published at the 
Health Reformer Office. Price, post-paid, 85 cents. 

Hand-Book of Health. Treating on Physiology and Hygi¬ 
ene. Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, bound in cloth, 60 cents; in paper cover, 35 cents. 

Cook Book, or Kitchen Guide. This work comprises reci¬ 
pes for the preparation of hygienic food, and advice relative 
to change of diet Published at the Health Reformer Of¬ 
fice. Price, post-paid, 25 cents. 

Exhansted Vitality. A Solemn Appeal Relative to Solitary 
Vice, and the Abuses and Excesses of the Marriage Rela¬ 
tion. Published at the Health Reformer Office. Price, post¬ 
paid, bound in cloth, 60 cents ; in paper cover, 30 cents 

Hydropathic Encyclopedia. Trail. Price, post-paid, $4.00. 

Science of Human Life. By Sylvester Graham, M. D.— 
Price, post-paid, $3.00. 

Domestic Practice. Johnson. Price, post-paid, $1.75. 

Health Tracts. Dyspepsia—Dress Reform—Principles of 
Health Reform. By mail, post-paid, three cents each, or 
$2.00 per hundred. 

Address, HEALTH REFORMER, 

Battle Creek, Mich. 


WATER FILTER. 

We furnish to order, Kedzie’s Water Filters, at the fol¬ 
lowing prices: No. 1, $9.00; No 2, $10 50; No. 3, $12.00: 
No. 4, $13.50; No. 5, $15.00. Freight will be added. 

Address, HEALTH REFORMER, Battle Creek, Mich. 


H 275 83 




















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A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

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